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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. mine — for digging
  4. press — to push
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. mug — to rob
  8. press — a publisher
  9. press — newspapers
  10. mate — to breed
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. board — a committee
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. board — to get on
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. mug — a face
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. mate — a partner
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. mate — a friend
  24. mug — a cup

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