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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. suit — clothes
  4. press — to push
  5. suit — to fit
  6. kick — in football
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. mine — for digging
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. suit — in cards
  14. season — of the year
  15. press — a publisher
  16. season — in sport
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. wave — of the sea

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