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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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Word bank
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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. cue — a signal
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. shower — to wash
  5. press — newspapers
  6. drill — the tool
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. cue — a hint
  10. can — a tin
  11. perch — the fish
  12. drill — army training
  13. fine — all right
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. can — to be able to
  16. drill — a practice
  17. press — a publisher
  18. fine — high quality
  19. can — a tin
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. press — to push
  22. cue — for pool
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. shower — rain

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