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

Word bank: mate · press · stick · dip · march · land · fine · jam

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. press — to push
  4. march — music
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. mate — a friend
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. fine — high quality
  9. march — the month
  10. land — ground
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. march — the month
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. press — a publisher
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. land — to come down
  18. mate — a partner
  19. dip — to sink
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. press — newspapers
  23. fine — all right
  24. land — a country

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