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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 116 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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. ground — the earth
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. ground — a position
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. press — to push
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. dip — to sink
  14. bear — the animal
  15. press — newspapers
  16. press — a publisher
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. saw — the tool
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bear — the animal
  24. cabinet — ministers

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