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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: season · fan · press · mug · date · stand

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. season — of the year
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. press — newspapers
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. date — the fruit
  8. season — in sport
  9. press — a publisher
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. mug — to rob
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. mug — a cup
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. mug — a face
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. press — to push
  18. stand — to bear

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