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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: nail · firm · dip · press · cap · rush · fan · kid

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. firm — a company
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. rush — hurry
  6. kid — child
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. firm — steady
  10. dip — to sink
  11. cap — a lid
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. press — newspapers
  16. kid — to tease
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. press — to push
  20. press — a publisher
  21. firm — decided
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. cap — a hat
  24. nail — for a hammer

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