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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. press — to push
  4. current — happening now
  5. mug — a face
  6. press — a publisher
  7. rule — a law
  8. mate — a friend
  9. pit — in a race
  10. suit — to fit
  11. rule — government
  12. mug — to rob
  13. suit — in cards
  14. current — electric
  15. mate — a partner
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. mug — a cup
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. suit — clothes
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. press — newspapers
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. current — of water
  24. pit — a hole

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