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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: club · pass · stand · safe · press · pop · fan · plane

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. stand — to bear
  5. club — for dancing
  6. pop — to visit
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. press — to push
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. pass — a permit
  15. club — a group
  16. plane — a tool
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. pop — music
  19. press — a publisher
  20. club — for golf
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. press — newspapers
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. pop — soda

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