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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.

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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fall — the season
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. press — newspapers
  6. staff — employees
  7. staff — employees
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. rash — hasty
  10. press — a publisher
  11. perch — the fish
  12. fall — to drop
  13. cue — a signal
  14. press — to push
  15. rash — a series
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. row — a line
  18. row — to paddle
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. staff — a stick
  22. fall — to drop
  23. cue — a hint
  24. fan — to cool the air

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