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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'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. pit — a hole
  3. mine — for digging
  4. pit — in a race
  5. press — a publisher
  6. press — newspapers
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. cue — for pool
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. firm — a company
  11. cue — a signal
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. firm — steady
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. firm — decided
  19. stem — to come from
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. press — to push

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