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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. mug — to rob
  3. mug — a cup
  4. wind — moving air
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. mug — a face
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. press — newspapers
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. wind — moving air
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. cue — a hint
  15. cue — a signal
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. squash — to crush
  18. press — to push
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. mark — a trace
  21. squash — the sport
  22. mark — a grade
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. cue — for pool

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