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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 116 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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. press — a publisher
  4. mate — to breed
  5. stand — to bear
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. rest — a break
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. row — a line
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. sharp — clever
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — what's left
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. mate — a friend
  21. mate — a partner
  22. row — to paddle
  23. press — to push
  24. coach — a trainer

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