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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. pass — a permit
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. press — newspapers
  8. net — after costs
  9. dip — to sink
  10. net — for catching
  11. craft — a skill
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. net — in sport
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. branch — a division
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. craft — boats
  22. bat — the animal
  23. press — a publisher
  24. bat — in an idiom

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