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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. chip — to eat
  3. bore — to tire
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. cap — of ice
  7. bore — to drill
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. season — of the year
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. press — newspapers
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. chip — for betting
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. cap — a lid
  22. press — to push
  23. cap — a hat
  24. season — in sport

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