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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. object — an aim
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. ball — a dance
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. object — to protest
  7. pass — a permit
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. object — a thing
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. ball — a great time
  14. mark — a grade
  15. press — to push
  16. mark — a trace
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. press — newspapers
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. snap — to click
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. press — a publisher

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