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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. lean — to bend
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. net — in sport
  6. deal — to handle
  7. lean — thin
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. ball — a great time
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. press — to push
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. ball — a dance
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. press — newspapers
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. net — after costs
  22. net — for catching
  23. press — a publisher
  24. mouse — the animal

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