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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. saw — the tool
  3. ball — a great time
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. press — to push
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. saw — the tool
  8. ball — a dance
  9. press — newspapers
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bank — of a river
  12. degree — temperature
  13. press — a publisher
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. degree — an amount
  16. swing — in golf
  17. swing — to play on
  18. bank — for money
  19. degree — from a university
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. row — a line
  22. swing — music
  23. bank — for money
  24. row — to paddle

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