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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. squash — the sport
  3. cap — of ice
  4. cap — a hat
  5. press — newspapers
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. court — of a king
  10. court — of law
  11. fork — in a road
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. press — to push
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. can — to be able to
  17. press — a publisher
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. court — for sport
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. can — a tin
  22. can — a tin
  23. cap — a lid
  24. squash — to crush

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