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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 was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. can — to be able to
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. fine — all right
  5. press — to push
  6. prune — to trim
  7. suit — in cards
  8. fine — high quality
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. ball — a dance
  11. press — newspapers
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. wound — an injury
  14. can — a tin
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. prune — to trim
  17. suit — to fit
  18. can — a tin
  19. board — a committee
  20. suit — clothes
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. press — a publisher
  23. board — to get on
  24. wound — an injury

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