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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 116 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: mug · fan · lean · present · staff · snap · can · rule

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. staff — employees
  3. rule — government
  4. mug — a face
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. lean — thin
  7. mug — a cup
  8. present — there
  9. rule — a law
  10. can — to be able to
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. can — a tin
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. staff — employees
  15. staff — a stick
  16. snap — to click
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. present — the time now
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. lean — to bend
  22. can — a tin
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. mug — to rob

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