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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. scale — in music
  5. ground — crushed
  6. court — of law
  7. tube — a container
  8. rock — a stone
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. court — of a king
  12. ball — a great time
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. rock — music
  15. court — for sport
  16. tube — the underground
  17. press — a publisher
  18. press — newspapers
  19. ball — a dance
  20. press — to push
  21. ground — a position
  22. band — a music group
  23. ground — the earth
  24. band — a ring

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