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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. staff — employees
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. press — newspapers
  7. pass — a permit
  8. wound — an injury
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. staff — employees
  11. wound — an injury
  12. rush — hurry
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. press — to push
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. staff — a stick
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. wake — a trail
  22. rock — music
  23. press — a publisher
  24. sharp — clever

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