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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. suit — to fit
  3. press — newspapers
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. shower — rain
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. tube — the underground
  11. suit — clothes
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. tube — a container
  14. shower — to wash
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. suit — in cards
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. press — a publisher
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. chair — a leader

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