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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 would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. press — newspapers
  3. press — to push
  4. charge — in control
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. net — after costs
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. press — a publisher
  10. perch — the fish
  11. toast — bread
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. race — the arms race
  15. net — in sport
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. race — a contest
  19. rash — a series
  20. charge — a price
  21. charge — electricity
  22. rash — hasty
  23. net — for catching
  24. race — humankind

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