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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. saw — the tool
  3. press — to push
  4. present — there
  5. fork — in a road
  6. present — the time now
  7. pop — soda
  8. present — a gift
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. ground — crushed
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. ground — a position
  16. ground — the earth
  17. pass — a permit
  18. press — a publisher
  19. saw — the tool
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. press — newspapers
  22. pop — music
  23. pop — to visit
  24. pass — to spend time

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