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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. mark — a grade
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. cap — of ice
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. wind — moving air
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rock — a stone
  10. cap — a lid
  11. press — newspapers
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. cap — a hat
  15. mate — a friend
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. rock — music
  18. mate — to breed
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. mate — a partner
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. press — to push
  23. wind — moving air
  24. mark — a trace

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