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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. mug — a cup
  6. snap — to click
  7. court — for sport
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. mug — to rob
  10. tube — the underground
  11. tube — a container
  12. fine — high quality
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. press — newspapers
  15. court — of law
  16. court — of a king
  17. press — a publisher
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. mug — a face
  20. fine — all right
  21. dip — to sink
  22. mate — to breed
  23. press — to push
  24. mate — a friend

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