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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. wound — an injury
  5. press — newspapers
  6. mug — to rob
  7. wound — an injury
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. cold — an illness
  11. mug — a face
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. rest — a break
  15. cold — not warm
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. press — to push
  19. press — a publisher
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — what's left
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. mug — a cup
  24. fan — a supporter

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