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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. stem — to come from
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. firm — a company
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. march — the month
  10. squash — the sport
  11. press — a publisher
  12. dip — to sink
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. firm — steady
  15. march — music
  16. press — newspapers
  17. pitch — completely
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. firm — decided
  20. squash — to crush
  21. press — to push
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. fan — a supporter

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