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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. court — for sport
  3. staff — employees
  4. content — the amount
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. drill — the tool
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. press — newspapers
  10. deal — to handle
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. staff — a stick
  13. content — happy
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. drill — a practice
  17. press — a publisher
  18. staff — employees
  19. drill — army training
  20. press — to push
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. court — of law
  24. court — of a king

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