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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: stick · press · chip · mark · fall · bulb · fan · hand

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. bulb — for light
  3. hand — help
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. chip — for betting
  8. fall — the season
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. press — to push
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. hand — in cards
  15. mark — a grade
  16. fall — to drop
  17. chip — to eat
  18. press — a publisher
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. bulb — for light
  21. mark — a trace
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. press — newspapers
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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