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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. press — to push
  3. mug — a face
  4. press — newspapers
  5. mug — to rob
  6. press — a publisher
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. season — of the year
  9. pop — to visit
  10. perch — the fish
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. pop — soda
  13. mug — a cup
  14. squash — the sport
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. wind — moving air
  17. stand — to bear
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. squash — to crush
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. wind — moving air
  24. season — in sport

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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