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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. kick — in football
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. pass — a permit
  5. stem — to come from
  6. drill — the tool
  7. press — a publisher
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. press — newspapers
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. press — to push
  13. drill — army training
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. date — the fruit
  22. pitch — completely
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. kick — a thrill

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