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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 · lean · squash · suit · press · stand · spring · firm

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. firm — decided
  3. squash — the sport
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. lean — to bend
  6. spring — the season
  7. spring — a coil
  8. firm — a company
  9. suit — in cards
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. stand — to bear
  12. suit — clothes
  13. lean — thin
  14. spring — of water
  15. squash — to crush
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. press — to push
  18. suit — to fit
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. press — newspapers
  21. press — a publisher
  22. firm — steady
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. squash — the vegetable

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