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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 120 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: rule · wind · bear · pass · stem · fan · nail · press

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. press — to push
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. rule — government
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. press — newspapers
  7. wind — moving air
  8. stem — to come from
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. rule — a law
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. press — a publisher
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bear — the animal
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bear — the animal
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. pass — a permit
  24. rule — to rule out

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