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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. press — a publisher
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. mug — a face
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. pit — a hole
  11. kid — to tease
  12. press — to push
  13. lie — to recline
  14. pit — in a race
  15. mug — to rob
  16. kid — child
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. press — newspapers
  19. mug — a cup
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. season — of the year
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. lie — an untruth

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