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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. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. rush — hurry
  3. press — newspapers
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. press — a publisher
  6. deal — to handle
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. file — a line of people
  13. date — the fruit
  14. file — a document
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. pit — in a race
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. press — to push
  21. file — a tool
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. pit — a hole
  24. deal — an agreement

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