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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. press — to push
  3. stand — to bear
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. rush — hurry
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. press — newspapers
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. charge — in control
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. charge — electricity
  16. charge — a price
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. chair — a leader
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. press — a publisher
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. mine — for digging
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. fan — a supporter

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