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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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Word bank
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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. press — newspapers
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. pit — in a race
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. pit — a hole
  11. row — to paddle
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. row — a line
  14. press — a publisher
  15. press — to push
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. stick — a piece of wood

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