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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: fan · can · tube · cue · vault · press · file · capital

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. tube — a container
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. press — a publisher
  5. file — a document
  6. can — to be able to
  7. file — a line of people
  8. tube — the underground
  9. cue — a hint
  10. capital — a city
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. cue — for pool
  13. can — a tin
  14. file — a tool
  15. vault — a safe
  16. capital — money
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. cue — a signal
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. can — a tin
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. press — to push
  23. press — newspapers
  24. fan — a supporter

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