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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. staff — a stick
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. staff — employees
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. press — newspapers
  7. ball — a great time
  8. press — a publisher
  9. pop — music
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. staff — employees
  12. sharp — clever
  13. content — happy
  14. pop — to visit
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. pop — soda
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. ball — a dance
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. content — the amount
  23. press — to push
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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