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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. deal — to handle
  3. rock — music
  4. rock — a stone
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. spell — letters
  8. press — to push
  9. press — newspapers
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. hand — help
  12. court — of a king
  13. court — for sport
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. press — a publisher
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. hand — in cards
  19. spell — magic
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. court — of law
  24. coach — a trainer

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