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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. ball — a dance
  3. mug — a face
  4. mark — a grade
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. stand — to bear
  7. bank — for money
  8. press — to push
  9. press — a publisher
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. mark — a trace
  12. bank — of a river
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. press — newspapers
  15. game — wild animals
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. wake — a trail
  19. game — a match
  20. mug — a cup
  21. ball — a great time
  22. bank — for money
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. mug — to rob

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