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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. press — a publisher
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. mug — to rob
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. mark — a grade
  16. wake — a trail
  17. hand — in cards
  18. mug — a face
  19. press — newspapers
  20. mark — a trace
  21. foot — a measure
  22. date — the fruit
  23. hand — help
  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