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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: pit · suit · press · cell · dip · mouse · charge · march

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. dip — to sink
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. charge — in control
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. cell — in biology
  8. suit — in cards
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. cell — a phone
  11. pit — in a race
  12. march — music
  13. suit — clothes
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. press — to push
  16. march — the month
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. press — a publisher
  19. charge — a price
  20. pit — a hole
  21. charge — electricity
  22. suit — to fit
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. press — newspapers

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