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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. press — newspapers
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. key — for a lock
  5. hand — in cards
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. last — final
  11. press — a publisher
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. last — to go on
  16. last — finally
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. press — to push
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. key — in music
  21. key — the most important part
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. hand — help

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