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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 120 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 works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. mine — for digging
  4. track — to keep track
  5. suit — clothes
  6. rest — what's left
  7. suit — to fit
  8. rest — what's left
  9. press — a publisher
  10. press — to push
  11. track — a path
  12. saw — the tool
  13. degree — temperature
  14. track — a song
  15. degree — from a university
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. rest — a break
  18. suit — in cards
  19. press — newspapers
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. degree — an amount
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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