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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. scale — size or range
  3. kid — child
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. press — a publisher
  7. present — there
  8. press — to push
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. present — the time now
  11. mug — a face
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. lean — thin
  14. rush — hurry
  15. kid — to tease
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. press — newspapers
  18. mug — to rob
  19. present — a gift
  20. mark — a grade
  21. lean — to bend
  22. mug — a cup
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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