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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 ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. bound — certain
  3. press — to push
  4. pit — a hole
  5. press — newspapers
  6. spring — a coil
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. pit — in a race
  9. cap — of ice
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. spring — the season
  12. object — an aim
  13. object — a thing
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. date — the fruit
  16. bound — obliged
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. rush — hurry
  19. cap — a hat
  20. bound — tied together
  21. object — to protest
  22. spring — of water
  23. press — a publisher
  24. cap — a lid

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