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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 116 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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. press — to push
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. board — to get on
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. press — a publisher
  11. board — a committee
  12. press — newspapers
  13. hand — help
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. hand — in cards
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. rush — hurry

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