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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. race — the arms race
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. sharp — clever
  11. press — a publisher
  12. press — newspapers
  13. charge — in control
  14. press — to push
  15. tube — a container
  16. race — a contest
  17. tube — the underground
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. plane — a tool
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. charge — a price
  22. race — humankind
  23. charge — electricity
  24. sharp — exactly

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