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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. toast — bread
  6. roll — a list
  7. pit — in a race
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. press — a publisher
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. roll — a cake
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. press — newspapers
  16. pit — a hole
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. press — to push
  24. patient — a sick person

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