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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: club · shower · calf · rush · fine · coach · press · fan

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. shower — rain
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. press — to push
  5. fine — high quality
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. press — a publisher
  8. club — for dancing
  9. rush — hurry
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. fine — all right
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. club — a group
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. press — newspapers
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. club — for golf
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. coach — a trainer

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