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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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. staff — employees
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. ball — a great time
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. staff — employees
  8. press — a publisher
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. shower — to wash
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. fine — high quality
  15. press — newspapers
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. fine — all right
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. shower — rain
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. press — to push
  22. ball — a dance
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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