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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: tube · game · press · charge · fall · wave · foot · bay

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. press — to push
  6. fall — the season
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. press — newspapers
  11. game — wild animals
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. charge — a price
  15. tube — a container
  16. foot — a measure
  17. tube — the underground
  18. charge — in control
  19. fall — to drop
  20. press — a publisher
  21. charge — electricity
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. fall — to drop
  24. wave — of the sea

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com