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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. track — to keep track
  5. squash — to crush
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. bore — to tire
  8. squash — the sport
  9. track — a song
  10. press — a publisher
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. bore — to drill
  14. season — of the year
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. press — to push
  17. toast — bread
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. press — newspapers
  20. track — a path
  21. season — in sport
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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