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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.

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: pound · plane · fan · press · bank · cap · mate · spring

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  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. fan — a supporter
  2. press — to push
  3. press — newspapers
  4. cap — of ice
  5. spring — the season
  6. plane — a tool
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. mate — a partner
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. mate — a friend
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. spring — a coil
  14. bank — for money
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. cap — a hat
  17. mate — to breed
  18. spring — of water
  19. pound — a weight
  20. bank — of a river
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. bank — for money
  23. cap — a lid
  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