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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. press — to push
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. roll — a cake
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. roll — a list
  9. press — a publisher
  10. mug — to rob
  11. mug — a cup
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — to fit
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. suit — clothes
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. press — newspapers
  18. temple — a place of worship

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