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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. saw — the tool
  4. court — of law
  5. kid — to tease
  6. current — of water
  7. current — electric
  8. press — a publisher
  9. firm — a company
  10. court — of a king
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. saw — the tool
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. press — to push
  15. current — happening now
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. court — for sport
  18. kid — child
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. mine — for digging
  21. squash — to crush
  22. firm — steady
  23. firm — decided
  24. squash — the sport

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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