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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. race — the arms race
  3. mate — a partner
  4. mate — to breed
  5. pop — soda
  6. cap — of ice
  7. fork — in a road
  8. present — a gift
  9. present — there
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. present — the time now
  12. mark — a trace
  13. race — a contest
  14. cap — a hat
  15. pop — music
  16. cap — a lid
  17. mate — a friend
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mark — a grade
  20. race — humankind
  21. pop — to visit
  22. press — a publisher
  23. press — to push
  24. fork — a garden tool

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