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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. march — the month
  3. present — there
  4. press — a publisher
  5. march — the month
  6. clip — for paper
  7. present — the time now
  8. lie — to recline
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. tube — a container
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. march — music
  14. suit — to fit
  15. press — newspapers
  16. clip — a video
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. press — to push
  19. suit — in cards
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. clip — to cut
  22. tube — the underground
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. suit — clothes

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