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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. staff — employees
  3. mate — a partner
  4. net — after costs
  5. saw — the tool
  6. press — newspapers
  7. staff — employees
  8. pit — in a race
  9. net — in sport
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. net — for catching
  14. saw — the tool
  15. staff — a stick
  16. mate — to breed
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. press — to push
  19. pound — a weight
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. pit — a hole
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. mate — a friend

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