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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: mouse · press · rush · fan · chip · land · pit · stand

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. press — to push
  5. chip — for betting
  6. press — newspapers
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. stand — to bear
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. pit — a hole
  13. land — to come down
  14. land — ground
  15. rush — hurry
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. press — a publisher
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. land — a country
  22. chip — to eat
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. pit — in a race

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