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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. fine — all right
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. craft — a skill
  8. press — to push
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. net — after costs
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. net — for catching
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. press — newspapers
  15. press — a publisher
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. craft — boats
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. net — in sport
  21. fine — high quality
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. chair — a leader
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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