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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: file · toast · season · press · kick · present

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. press — to push
  3. present — the time now
  4. press — newspapers
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. file — a line of people
  8. present — a gift
  9. kick — in football
  10. season — of the year
  11. file — a tool
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. present — there
  15. toast — bread
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. press — a publisher
  18. file — a document

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