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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 116 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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. deal — to handle
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. fine — high quality
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. press — newspapers
  10. cap — of ice
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. cap — a lid
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. game — wild animals
  15. press — to push
  16. cap — a hat
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. press — a publisher
  20. game — a match
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. plane — a tool
  23. rock — a stone
  24. fine — all right

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