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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  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. season — to add flavour
  2. ground — the earth
  3. snap — to click
  4. press — newspapers
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. press — to push
  8. bank — of a river
  9. ground — crushed
  10. rock — music
  11. ground — a position
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. bank — for money
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. deal — to handle
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. season — of the year
  19. press — a publisher
  20. bank — for money
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. rock — a stone
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. season — in sport

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