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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. press — to push
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. court — for sport
  5. lie — to recline
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. court — of law
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. pass — a permit
  12. court — of a king
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. press — a publisher
  15. toast — bread
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. date — the fruit
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. kick — in football
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. press — newspapers
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. fan — a supporter

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