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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. pit — a hole
  3. press — newspapers
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. field — for sport
  6. rush — hurry
  7. mark — a trace
  8. press — a publisher
  9. pit — in a race
  10. present — a gift
  11. mark — a grade
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. press — to push
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. field — a subject
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. present — there
  21. field — farmland
  22. band — a ring
  23. present — the time now
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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