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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. mate — to breed
  3. mate — a friend
  4. degree — from a university
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. press — newspapers
  7. content — happy
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. suit — in cards
  11. content — the amount
  12. mark — a grade
  13. press — to push
  14. degree — temperature
  15. suit — to fit
  16. press — a publisher
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mate — a partner
  20. stem — to come from
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. degree — an amount
  24. suit — clothes

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