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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: suit · press · content · racket · fan · mark · bound · current

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. press — a publisher
  3. press — to push
  4. bound — certain
  5. mark — a grade
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. suit — in cards
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. press — newspapers
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. content — happy
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. suit — clothes
  14. mark — a trace
  15. current — happening now
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. bound — tied together
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. content — the amount
  21. current — of water
  22. suit — to fit
  23. bound — obliged
  24. current — electric

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