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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. mate — to breed
  3. mate — a friend
  4. press — newspapers
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. wound — an injury
  7. net — for catching
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. mate — a partner
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. bat — the animal
  12. net — after costs
  13. wound — an injury
  14. net — in sport
  15. object — a thing
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. press — a publisher
  19. object — an aim
  20. object — to protest
  21. press — to push
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. pound — a weight

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