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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  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. rash — on the skin
  2. suit — clothes
  3. suit — to fit
  4. pass — a permit
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. press — a publisher
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. rash — hasty
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. suit — in cards
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. prune — to trim
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. rash — a series
  21. prune — to trim
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. press — to push
  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