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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. cell — in biology
  3. court — for sport
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. press — newspapers
  6. press — a publisher
  7. press — to push
  8. scale — size or range
  9. fine — high quality
  10. scale — in music
  11. fine — all right
  12. present — there
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. present — the time now
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. ball — a dance
  19. present — a gift
  20. ball — a great time
  21. cell — a phone
  22. court — of a king
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. court — of law

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