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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. mate — a partner
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. cue — a signal
  5. pit — a hole
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. deal — to handle
  9. mug — to rob
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. branch — a division
  13. cue — for pool
  14. rash — a series
  15. mate — to breed
  16. pit — in a race
  17. rash — hasty
  18. cue — a hint
  19. mate — a friend
  20. mug — a face
  21. press — to push
  22. press — newspapers
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. mug — a cup

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