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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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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: cue · fan · board · firm · pound · snap · kid · press

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. board — a committee
  3. kid — child
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. press — a publisher
  6. cue — a signal
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. press — newspapers
  9. cue — a hint
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. board — to get on
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. cue — for pool
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. firm — decided
  16. firm — a company
  17. firm — steady
  18. pound — a weight
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. press — to push
  21. kid — to tease
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. snap — to click
  24. pound — for dogs

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