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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. wound — an injury
  3. press — a publisher
  4. roll — a cake
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. press — newspapers
  7. press — to push
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. mate — a friend
  10. last — finally
  11. last — to go on
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — to be able to
  16. mate — to breed
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. last — final
  19. mate — a partner
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. roll — a list
  23. can — a tin
  24. wound — an injury

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