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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 120 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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. field — a subject
  3. bear — the animal
  4. press — newspapers
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. field — for sport
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. land — ground
  10. mate — a friend
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. mate — to breed
  13. mug — to rob
  14. mate — a partner
  15. mug — a cup
  16. press — a publisher
  17. mug — a face
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bear — the animal
  20. press — to push
  21. field — farmland
  22. land — a country
  23. rush — hurry
  24. pitcher — a jug

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