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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 120 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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. press — a publisher
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. field — a subject
  5. foot — a measure
  6. ground — the earth
  7. firm — decided
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. field — for sport
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. firm — a company
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. field — farmland
  14. can — a tin
  15. sharp — clever
  16. can — to be able to
  17. firm — steady
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. press — newspapers
  21. ground — crushed
  22. ground — a position
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. can — a tin

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