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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: fan · march · press · spring · suit · mug · date · snap

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. press — to push
  3. press — newspapers
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. mug — a face
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. suit — to fit
  8. mug — to rob
  9. suit — clothes
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. march — the month
  13. spring — the season
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. suit — in cards
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. spring — a coil
  18. date — the fruit
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. spring — of water
  21. mug — a cup
  22. press — a publisher
  23. march — music
  24. snap — to click

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