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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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. content — happy
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. object — a thing
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. press — newspapers
  9. object — an aim
  10. ball — a great time
  11. rash — a series
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. press — a publisher
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. content — the amount
  18. press — to push
  19. ball — a dance
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. object — to protest
  22. rash — hasty
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. nail — for a hammer

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