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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. can — to be able to
  3. race — a contest
  4. rock — music
  5. press — a publisher
  6. mug — a face
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. cue — a signal
  9. press — newspapers
  10. race — the arms race
  11. cue — a hint
  12. field — for sport
  13. mug — to rob
  14. race — humankind
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. field — a subject
  17. field — farmland
  18. cue — for pool
  19. press — to push
  20. rock — a stone
  21. can — a tin
  22. season — in sport
  23. can — a tin
  24. season — of the year

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