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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. press — newspapers
  4. race — a contest
  5. press — a publisher
  6. swing — in golf
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. staff — employees
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. staff — a stick
  13. race — humankind
  14. swing — music
  15. swing — to play on
  16. net — for catching
  17. scale — in music
  18. staff — employees
  19. net — in sport
  20. scale — size or range
  21. press — to push
  22. race — the arms race
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. net — after costs

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