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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: press · jam · suit · clip · tube · fan · rush · deal

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. rush — hurry
  4. suit — clothes
  5. clip — a video
  6. clip — for paper
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. tube — a container
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. suit — to fit
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. press — newspapers
  15. clip — to cut
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. tube — the underground
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. deal — to handle
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. press — to push
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. press — a publisher

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