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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. stem — to come from
  3. game — a match
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. press — to push
  7. charge — in control
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. charge — electricity
  13. foot — a measure
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. press — newspapers
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. game — wild animals
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. dip — to sink
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. charge — a price
  24. racket — for tennis

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