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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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. suit — clothes
  3. pop — music
  4. pop — soda
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. pop — to visit
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. season — of the year
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. suit — to fit
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. season — in sport
  17. suit — in cards
  18. snap — to click
  19. press — to push
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. press — newspapers
  22. kick — in football
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. press — a publisher

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