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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. rest — what's left
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. press — to push
  6. rest — what's left
  7. pitch — completely
  8. bear — the animal
  9. dip — to sink
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. fork — in a road
  12. bear — the animal
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. press — a publisher
  18. press — newspapers
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. date — the fruit
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. rest — a break

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