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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. press — to push
  4. press — newspapers
  5. press — a publisher
  6. pop — music
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fall — the season
  13. pop — to visit
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. squash — the sport
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. ball — a great time
  19. squash — to crush
  20. pop — soda
  21. fall — to drop
  22. ball — a dance
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. squash — the vegetable

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