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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. press — a publisher
  3. cell — in biology
  4. court — of a king
  5. court — of law
  6. can — to be able to
  7. cell — a phone
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. bank — for money
  10. press — to push
  11. deal — to handle
  12. bank — for money
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. mug — a cup
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. mine — for digging
  17. press — newspapers
  18. mug — a face
  19. court — for sport
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. can — a tin
  22. bank — of a river
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. mug — to rob

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