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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. pass — a permit
  3. press — newspapers
  4. ball — a dance
  5. net — for catching
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. ball — a great time
  8. last — finally
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. suit — to fit
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. spring — a coil
  13. last — to go on
  14. press — to push
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. spring — of water
  17. net — after costs
  18. net — in sport
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. suit — in cards
  21. suit — clothes
  22. press — a publisher
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. spring — the season

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