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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. mark — a grade
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. press — newspapers
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. drill — the tool
  7. fine — high quality
  8. cue — a signal
  9. cold — not warm
  10. board — to get on
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. cold — an illness
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. cue — a hint
  15. drill — a practice
  16. drill — army training
  17. board — a committee
  18. cue — for pool
  19. mark — a trace
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. kick — in football
  22. fine — all right
  23. press — a publisher
  24. mark — to pay attention

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