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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: clip · stock · firm · jam · press · fan · plane · charge

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. charge — electricity
  5. firm — steady
  6. clip — for paper
  7. press — a publisher
  8. charge — a price
  9. clip — a video
  10. plane — a tool
  11. firm — decided
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. clip — to cut
  17. press — newspapers
  18. stock — goods
  19. press — to push
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. firm — a company
  24. stock — shares

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