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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 120 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: wound · tube · press · racket · mark · nail · fan · temple

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. press — to push
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. wound — an injury
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. press — a publisher
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. wound — an injury
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. tube — a container
  21. mark — a grade
  22. tube — the underground
  23. mark — a trace
  24. press — newspapers

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