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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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. ball — a dance
  3. press — newspapers
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. rule — government
  7. suit — to fit
  8. press — a publisher
  9. fine — all right
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. prune — to trim
  12. suit — in cards
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. foot — a measure
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. ball — a great time
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. prune — to trim
  20. suit — clothes
  21. rule — a law
  22. fine — high quality
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. press — to push

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