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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. press — a publisher
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. squash — the sport
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. squash — to crush
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. rush — hurry
  11. mark — a trace
  12. mug — to rob
  13. press — to push
  14. mark — a grade
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. mug — a cup
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. mug — a face
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. press — newspapers
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. hide — animal skin

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