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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. press — newspapers
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. mate — to breed
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. perch — the fish
  11. mate — a friend
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. sharp — clever
  14. last — finally
  15. cap — of ice
  16. last — final
  17. pass — a permit
  18. mate — a partner
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. press — to push
  21. last — to go on
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. cap — a hat

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