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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 116 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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. stem — to come from
  4. press — a publisher
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. cue — a signal
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. pit — a hole
  9. press — newspapers
  10. deal — to handle
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. field — farmland
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. mine — for digging
  16. field — a subject
  17. cue — for pool
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. field — for sport
  20. pit — in a race
  21. cue — a hint
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. press — to push
  24. deal — a big deal

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