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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: chip · fan · press · rock · can · bat · lash · toast

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. press — to push
  3. rock — a stone
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. toast — bread
  7. press — a publisher
  8. bat — the animal
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. press — newspapers
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. can — to be able to
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. chip — to eat
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. rock — music
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. chip — for betting
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — a tin
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  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