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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: saw · mark · net · spring · mouse · lie · press · march

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. press — to push
  3. march — the month
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. press — a publisher
  6. lie — to recline
  7. spring — the season
  8. mark — a trace
  9. press — newspapers
  10. mark — a grade
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. spring — of water
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. saw — the tool
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. net — in sport
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. march — the month
  21. net — for catching
  22. march — music
  23. saw — the tool
  24. net — after costs

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