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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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. pit — a hole
  3. press — a publisher
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. press — to push
  9. stand — to bear
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. season — in sport
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. toast — bread
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. scale — in music
  19. season — of the year
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. press — newspapers
  22. scale — size or range
  23. pit — in a race
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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