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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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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: club · fall · prune · cabinet · key · press · bowl · fan

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. press — newspapers
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. prune — to trim
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. key — for a lock
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. key — in music
  10. club — for dancing
  11. key — the most important part
  12. club — a group
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fall — the season
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. press — a publisher
  17. fall — to drop
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. press — to push
  20. fall — to drop
  21. prune — to trim
  22. club — for golf
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. bowl — a dish

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