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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: press · mate · mark · fine · ground · game · rest · mug

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. fine — high quality
  3. mate — a partner
  4. mug — a face
  5. mug — a cup
  6. game — a match
  7. press — a publisher
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. rest — a break
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mark — a trace
  12. ground — a position
  13. press — newspapers
  14. mate — to breed
  15. rest — what's left
  16. mug — to rob
  17. ground — crushed
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. rest — what's left
  20. ground — the earth
  21. mark — a grade
  22. mate — a friend
  23. press — to push
  24. fine — all right

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