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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. rush — hurry
  5. lean — to bend
  6. staff — employees
  7. suit — in cards
  8. lean — thin
  9. press — to push
  10. staff — a stick
  11. mate — a friend
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. press — newspapers
  16. mate — to breed
  17. season — in sport
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. season — of the year
  20. suit — clothes
  21. mate — a partner
  22. suit — to fit
  23. toast — bread
  24. staff — employees

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