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

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. ball — a great time
  3. can — a tin
  4. rush — hurry
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. press — to push
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. staff — employees
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. can — a tin
  15. press — a publisher
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. can — to be able to
  19. staff — a stick
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. staff — employees
  22. press — newspapers
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. perch — the fish

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