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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 · cabinet · degree · press · can · vault · cue · ground

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. can — a tin
  3. degree — from a university
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. ground — crushed
  6. can — to be able to
  7. press — newspapers
  8. press — a publisher
  9. cue — a hint
  10. vault — a safe
  11. cue — for pool
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. ground — a position
  15. ground — the earth
  16. degree — temperature
  17. press — to push
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. can — a tin
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. degree — an amount
  23. cue — a signal
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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