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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. fall — to drop
  4. press — a publisher
  5. fall — the season
  6. press — newspapers
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. pass — a permit
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. toast — bread
  14. press — to push
  15. fall — to drop
  16. date — the fruit
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. snap — to click

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