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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. cue — a hint
  7. press — to push
  8. cue — a signal
  9. club — a group
  10. cue — for pool
  11. club — for golf
  12. club — for dancing
  13. rush — hurry
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. bound — certain
  16. bound — obliged
  17. bound — tied together
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. press — a publisher
  23. press — newspapers
  24. toast — bread

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