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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. mate — a partner
  3. present — the time now
  4. press — newspapers
  5. game — a match
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. last — finally
  8. last — to go on
  9. bound — certain
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. net — for catching
  12. bound — obliged
  13. present — a gift
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. last — final
  16. press — to push
  17. bound — tied together
  18. mate — a friend
  19. game — wild animals
  20. present — there
  21. net — in sport
  22. net — after costs
  23. mate — to breed
  24. press — a publisher

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