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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 124 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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. press — to push
  3. mate — a partner
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. game — wild animals
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. toast — bread
  9. mate — a friend
  10. deal — to handle
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. ball — a dance
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. press — newspapers
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. game — a match
  18. press — a publisher
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. ball — a great time
  24. mate — to breed

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