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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. press — a publisher
  6. press — newspapers
  7. press — to push
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. pit — in a race
  12. saw — the tool
  13. net — for catching
  14. saw — the tool
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. net — after costs
  17. fine — all right
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. pit — a hole
  20. net — in sport
  21. fine — high quality
  22. date — the fruit
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. date — on the calendar

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