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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: rock · cue · press · spring · can · fan · pit · nail

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. cue — for pool
  3. can — a tin
  4. cue — a signal
  5. pit — a hole
  6. rock — a stone
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. spring — of water
  10. spring — the season
  11. press — a publisher
  12. rock — music
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. spring — a coil
  15. pit — in a race
  16. press — newspapers
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. can — a tin
  19. press — to push
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. cue — a hint
  24. nail — for a hammer

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