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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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. press — a publisher
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. foot — a measure
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. ball — a great time
  8. club — for dancing
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. press — newspapers
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. plane — a tool
  14. rock — a stone
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. club — for golf
  17. fine — high quality
  18. press — to push
  19. fine — all right
  20. rock — music
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. club — a group
  24. foot — part of the body

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