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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: can · cue · press · fan · key · cell · pitch · land

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. cell — in biology
  3. cell — a phone
  4. press — a publisher
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. key — the most important part
  9. cue — a hint
  10. can — a tin
  11. pitch — completely
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. can — to be able to
  14. land — ground
  15. key — for a lock
  16. press — newspapers
  17. key — in music
  18. can — a tin
  19. cue — a signal
  20. cue — for pool
  21. land — to come down
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. press — to push

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