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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. last — final
  6. land — a country
  7. press — newspapers
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. last — finally
  10. press — a publisher
  11. pop — to visit
  12. land — to come down
  13. rock — a stone
  14. press — to push
  15. pop — music
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. game — wild animals
  20. pop — soda
  21. land — ground
  22. rock — music
  23. game — a match
  24. last — to go on

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