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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. press — newspapers
  3. press — to push
  4. wind — moving air
  5. bear — the animal
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. net — for catching
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. fall — the season
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. press — a publisher
  13. track — to keep track
  14. track — a song
  15. ball — a great time
  16. fall — to drop
  17. net — in sport
  18. fall — to drop
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. track — a path
  21. bear — the animal
  22. deal — to handle
  23. ball — a dance
  24. net — after costs

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