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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. cap — of ice
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. press — a publisher
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. game — a match
  7. cap — a lid
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. press — newspapers
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. press — to push
  13. cap — a hat
  14. pass — a permit
  15. pound — a weight
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. rock — a stone
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. rock — music
  22. game — wild animals
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. mine — for digging

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