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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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — what's left
  3. spell — letters
  4. net — in sport
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. scale — size or range
  7. rash — a series
  8. rash — hasty
  9. suit — in cards
  10. spell — a short time
  11. press — to push
  12. ball — a great time
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. rest — a break
  15. suit — clothes
  16. net — after costs
  17. scale — in music
  18. spell — magic
  19. press — a publisher
  20. net — for catching
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. suit — to fit
  23. press — newspapers
  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