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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 116 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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. rock — a stone
  3. scale — in music
  4. court — of law
  5. rush — hurry
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. net — for catching
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. deal — to handle
  14. press — newspapers
  15. scale — size or range
  16. net — in sport
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. court — of a king
  20. court — for sport
  21. press — a publisher
  22. net — after costs
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. rock — music

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