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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. mug — to rob
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. press — a publisher
  5. dip — to sink
  6. rash — a series
  7. mug — a cup
  8. press — newspapers
  9. tube — the underground
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. season — of the year
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. tube — a container
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. pass — a permit
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. rash — hasty
  22. season — in sport
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. press — to push

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