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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. saw — the tool
  3. pass — a permit
  4. present — a gift
  5. season — of the year
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. press — a publisher
  10. present — there
  11. present — the time now
  12. press — to push
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. press — newspapers
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. season — in sport
  22. saw — the tool
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. pitcher — a jug

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