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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. present — the time now
  3. deal — to handle
  4. club — a group
  5. saw — the tool
  6. present — a gift
  7. club — for dancing
  8. chest — of your body
  9. saw — the tool
  10. press — newspapers
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. press — to push
  13. chest — of your body
  14. press — a publisher
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. present — there
  17. club — for golf
  18. deal — an agreement

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