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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. mate — to breed
  3. mate — a partner
  4. press — to push
  5. tube — the underground
  6. ground — the earth
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ground — a position
  9. wake — a trail
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. press — a publisher
  12. tube — a container
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. press — newspapers
  15. mate — a friend
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. ground — crushed
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. mark — a trace
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — for measuring

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