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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: date · track · dip · cold · suit · mug · leaves · press

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. cold — an illness
  4. track — a song
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. mug — a cup
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. suit — clothes
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. dip — to sink
  12. track — a path
  13. press — a publisher
  14. suit — in cards
  15. track — to keep track
  16. press — newspapers
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. cold — not warm
  19. mug — a face
  20. mug — to rob
  21. date — the fruit
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. press — to push
  24. suit — to fit

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