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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. march — the month
  3. court — of law
  4. march — the month
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. court — of a king
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. fork — in a road
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. rush — hurry
  11. press — newspapers
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. court — for sport
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. mark — a trace
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. press — to push
  19. march — music
  20. press — a publisher
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. toast — bread
  23. mark — a grade
  24. nail — for a hammer

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