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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 116 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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. mine — for digging
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. press — to push
  5. mug — a face
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. charge — in control
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. charge — electricity
  10. press — a publisher
  11. press — newspapers
  12. charge — a price
  13. scale — size or range
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. present — there
  16. kick — in football
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. scale — in music
  19. present — the time now
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. mug — a cup
  22. mug — to rob
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. present — a gift

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