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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pass · press · cabinet · wound · fan · bowl · date · racket

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. pass — a permit
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. wound — an injury
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. press — a publisher
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. press — to push
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. wound — an injury
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. press — newspapers
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. date — the fruit
  24. fan — a supporter

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