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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. net — in sport
  3. saw — the tool
  4. mug — a cup
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. mug — to rob
  7. march — music
  8. mug — a face
  9. net — for catching
  10. saw — the tool
  11. march — the month
  12. march — the month
  13. press — newspapers
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. press — a publisher
  17. season — of the year
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. season — in sport
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. press — to push
  24. net — after costs

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