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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. mate — a partner
  4. dip — to sink
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. shower — rain
  7. press — newspapers
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. cue — for pool
  10. present — the time now
  11. mate — a friend
  12. cue — a signal
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. present — a gift
  15. press — a publisher
  16. shower — to wash
  17. cue — a hint
  18. mate — to breed
  19. ground — crushed
  20. ground — a position
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. ground — the earth
  24. press — to push

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