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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. dip — to sink
  4. season — of the year
  5. rock — music
  6. press — newspapers
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. rock — a stone
  10. roll — a cake
  11. press — a publisher
  12. season — in sport
  13. press — to push
  14. scale — size or range
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. mark — a grade
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. scale — in music
  21. roll — a list
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. roll — on a roll

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