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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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. press — newspapers
  3. press — a publisher
  4. press — to push
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. spring — a coil
  7. current — of water
  8. club — a group
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. spring — of water
  12. mate — to breed
  13. court — for sport
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. club — for dancing
  16. club — for golf
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. current — happening now
  19. spring — the season
  20. mate — a partner
  21. mate — a friend
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. current — electric
  24. court — of a king

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