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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. ball — a great time
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. land — a country
  5. rock — a stone
  6. pass — a permit
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. land — to come down
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — what's left
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. land — ground
  14. press — to push
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. rock — music
  20. fine — all right
  21. rest — a break
  22. press — newspapers
  23. press — a publisher
  24. ball — a dance

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