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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. press — newspapers
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. capital — money
  9. capital — a city
  10. squash — the sport
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. press — a publisher
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. pit — a hole
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. shower — rain
  21. pit — in a race
  22. squash — to crush
  23. shower — to wash
  24. safe — out of danger

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