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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 120 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: mark · bear · mug · temple · field · press · wound · season

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. season — of the year
  3. press — newspapers
  4. field — a subject
  5. mug — a cup
  6. bear — the animal
  7. mark — a grade
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. mug — a face
  12. press — to push
  13. wound — an injury
  14. field — for sport
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. wound — an injury
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. press — a publisher
  19. field — farmland
  20. bear — the animal
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. mark — a trace
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. season — in sport

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