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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. ball — a dance
  4. net — in sport
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. press — to push
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. toast — bread
  10. rash — hasty
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. press — newspapers
  13. net — for catching
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. rash — a series
  18. ball — a great time
  19. game — wild animals
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. game — a match
  23. net — after costs
  24. nail — on a finger

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