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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  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. mark — a grade
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. stand — to bear
  7. press — to push
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. pit — in a race
  12. press — newspapers
  13. pit — a hole
  14. press — a publisher
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. perch — the fish
  17. chair — a leader
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. spring — of water
  20. spring — the season
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. spring — a coil
  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