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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 120 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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. press — newspapers
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. fine — all right
  8. prune — to trim
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. press — to push
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. press — a publisher
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. scale — in music
  16. court — for sport
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. prune — to trim
  19. court — of law
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. court — of a king
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. fine — high quality
  24. scale — size or range

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