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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. wound — an injury
  4. mark — a trace
  5. press — newspapers
  6. charge — electricity
  7. rash — hasty
  8. charge — a price
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. rash — a series
  11. wound — an injury
  12. charge — in control
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. bear — the animal
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. press — a publisher
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. mark — a grade
  19. bear — the animal
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. press — to push
  24. hide — to keep secret

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