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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. press — to push
  3. race — a contest
  4. present — the time now
  5. race — humankind
  6. band — a music group
  7. rock — music
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. pit — a hole
  10. present — there
  11. pit — in a race
  12. rock — a stone
  13. press — newspapers
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. race — the arms race
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. rest — a break
  20. present — a gift
  21. rest — what's left
  22. band — a ring
  23. press — a publisher
  24. coach — a trainer

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