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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. mine — for digging
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. season — of the year
  6. rash — a series
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. present — a gift
  12. present — the time now
  13. rash — hasty
  14. press — newspapers
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. press — a publisher
  17. season — in sport
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. press — to push
  23. present — there
  24. mine — belonging to me

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