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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 120 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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. row — to paddle
  5. mug — to rob
  6. press — newspapers
  7. hand — in cards
  8. stem — to come from
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. face — to confront
  11. hand — help
  12. mug — a face
  13. row — a line
  14. cue — a signal
  15. face — part of the head
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. face — to point toward
  19. mug — a cup
  20. press — a publisher
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. cue — a hint
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. cue — for pool

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