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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. object — a thing
  4. net — in sport
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. object — to protest
  7. staff — employees
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. press — a publisher
  10. staff — employees
  11. rash — a series
  12. press — newspapers
  13. press — to push
  14. net — for catching
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. staff — a stick
  18. rash — hasty
  19. pitch — completely
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. object — an aim
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. net — after costs

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