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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 120 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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. press — a publisher
  6. craft — a skill
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. pit — in a race
  10. sharp — clever
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. mug — a cup
  13. pit — a hole
  14. mug — a face
  15. cap — of ice
  16. foot — a measure
  17. cap — a lid
  18. mug — to rob
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. cap — a hat
  21. press — to push
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. press — newspapers
  24. craft — boats

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