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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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. cue — a signal
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. staff — employees
  5. pit — a hole
  6. staff — employees
  7. staff — a stick
  8. mark — a trace
  9. cue — a hint
  10. tube — the underground
  11. ball — a great time
  12. press — newspapers
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. pound — a weight
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. press — a publisher
  18. press — to push
  19. tube — a container
  20. pit — in a race
  21. mark — a grade
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. cue — for pool
  24. pound — to hit hard

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