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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. mate — to breed
  3. race — humankind
  4. net — after costs
  5. mate — a partner
  6. net — for catching
  7. key — in music
  8. mark — a trace
  9. press — newspapers
  10. staff — a stick
  11. race — the arms race
  12. mate — a friend
  13. press — a publisher
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. key — for a lock
  16. court — of law
  17. key — the most important part
  18. press — to push
  19. court — for sport
  20. mark — a grade
  21. staff — employees
  22. race — a contest
  23. staff — employees
  24. court — of a king

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