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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. present — the time now
  3. present — there
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. ball — a great time
  7. press — to push
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. press — a publisher
  10. press — newspapers
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. present — a gift
  14. drill — the tool
  15. ball — a dance
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. wound — an injury
  19. stand — to bear
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. drill — a practice
  23. drill — army training
  24. wound — an injury

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