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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. suit — to fit
  3. cap — a lid
  4. suit — in cards
  5. land — a country
  6. mug — to rob
  7. mug — a cup
  8. ground — a position
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. land — ground
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. mug — a face
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. press — newspapers
  16. press — to push
  17. suit — clothes
  18. cap — of ice
  19. foot — a measure
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. cap — a hat
  22. land — to come down
  23. ground — the earth
  24. ground — crushed

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