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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. fork — in a road
  6. mug — to rob
  7. press — a publisher
  8. press — to push
  9. pass — a permit
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. wound — an injury
  12. wound — an injury
  13. press — newspapers
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. cue — a signal
  17. mug — a cup
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. cue — a hint
  22. cue — for pool
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. mug — a face

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