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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. net — after costs
  4. stem — to come from
  5. toast — bread
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. net — for catching
  8. press — newspapers
  9. net — in sport
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bass — the fish
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bear — the animal
  17. deal — to handle
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. press — to push
  22. press — a publisher
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. bass — low music

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