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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. staff — a stick
  3. press — newspapers
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. fine — high quality
  6. deal — to handle
  7. court — of a king
  8. staff — employees
  9. fine — all right
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. press — to push
  12. hand — help
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. press — a publisher
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. court — for sport
  21. hand — in cards
  22. lean — to bend
  23. staff — employees
  24. court — of law

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