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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: fan · press · fine · stick · bay · object · season · fall

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. press — a publisher
  3. object — a thing
  4. season — of the year
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. fine — high quality
  7. fall — the season
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. fine — all right
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. press — to push
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fall — to drop
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. press — newspapers
  22. object — to protest
  23. object — an aim
  24. season — in sport

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