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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 button?
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. race — a contest
  4. press — newspapers
  5. press — a publisher
  6. shower — to wash
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. toast — bread
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. tear — to rip
  12. tear — from crying
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. race — the arms race
  15. tear — from crying
  16. shower — rain
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. mark — a grade
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. race — humankind
  22. stand — to bear
  23. mark — a trace
  24. sharp — clever

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