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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. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. press — newspapers
  3. press — a publisher
  4. pass — a permit
  5. kid — to tease
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. ball — a great time
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. court — of law
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. ball — a dance
  14. rash — hasty
  15. court — of a king
  16. kid — child
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. season — in sport
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. rash — a series
  21. press — to push
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. season — of the year
  24. rash — on the skin

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