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

Word bank: fan · rush · fine · mug · lash · stand · cap · clip

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fine — high quality
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. mug — a face
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. mug — a cup
  11. cap — a lid
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. fine — all right
  14. stand — to bear
  15. clip — for paper
  16. clip — a video
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. clip — to cut
  20. rush — hurry
  21. cap — of ice
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. cap — a hat
  24. fan — to cool the air

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