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

Word bank: rock · fan · press · tear · staff · suit · club · ground

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. ground — a position
  3. tear — to rip
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. rock — music
  6. tear — from crying
  7. rock — a stone
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. staff — employees
  10. staff — a stick
  11. press — to push
  12. press — newspapers
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. suit — clothes
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — in cards
  17. press — a publisher
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. ground — the earth
  20. club — for golf
  21. tear — from crying
  22. staff — employees
  23. club — a group
  24. ground — crushed

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