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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. tear — from crying
  3. season — of the year
  4. press — newspapers
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. fork — in a road
  8. mark — a trace
  9. tear — from crying
  10. sharp — clever
  11. toast — bread
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. season — in sport
  15. mark — a grade
  16. date — the fruit
  17. press — a publisher
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. press — to push
  24. tear — to rip

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