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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 124 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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. press — to push
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. press — a publisher
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. dip — to sink
  10. stem — to come from
  11. shower — to wash
  12. shower — rain
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. press — newspapers
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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