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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. press — newspapers
  3. cell — a phone
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. cap — of ice
  6. mug — a cup
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. cap — a hat
  9. press — a publisher
  10. bat — the animal
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. press — to push
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. cap — a lid
  20. mug — to rob
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. mug — a face
  24. cell — in biology

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