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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. press — to push
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. rash — hasty
  5. mug — to rob
  6. mug — a face
  7. face — to confront
  8. march — the month
  9. rash — a series
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. march — music
  13. deal — to handle
  14. march — the month
  15. charge — in control
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. press — a publisher
  18. mug — a cup
  19. press — newspapers
  20. face — part of the head
  21. charge — electricity
  22. face — to point toward
  23. season — in sport
  24. charge — a price

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