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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. present — there
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. charge — in control
  5. squash — to crush
  6. press — a publisher
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. squash — the sport
  9. present — the time now
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. mark — a grade
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. press — newspapers
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. present — a gift
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. charge — electricity
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. charge — a price
  24. mark — a trace

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