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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 120 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 · staff · can · press · rush · object · foot · game

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. object — to protest
  3. game — a match
  4. foot — a measure
  5. can — a tin
  6. object — a thing
  7. press — newspapers
  8. staff — employees
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. staff — a stick
  12. can — to be able to
  13. press — to push
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. game — wild animals
  17. object — an aim
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. staff — employees
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. can — a tin
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. rush — hurry
  24. foot — part of the body

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