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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. ball — a great time
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. press — newspapers
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. face — part of the head
  7. face — to point toward
  8. capital — a city
  9. bat — the animal
  10. ball — a dance
  11. face — to confront
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. press — to push
  14. wax — to grow
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. press — a publisher
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. capital — money
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. deal — to handle
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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