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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 116 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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. press — a publisher
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. fine — all right
  6. cue — for pool
  7. object — a thing
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. fine — high quality
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. object — to protest
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. object — an aim
  16. cue — a signal
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. press — newspapers
  21. press — to push
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. cue — a hint
  24. dip — to sink

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