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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. staff — employees
  3. staff — a stick
  4. pop — soda
  5. fall — to drop
  6. court — of a king
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. pop — music
  9. board — a committee
  10. pop — to visit
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. fall — to drop
  13. court — of law
  14. board — to get on
  15. mug — to rob
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. press — to push
  18. staff — employees
  19. press — a publisher
  20. deal — to handle
  21. court — for sport
  22. mug — a cup
  23. mug — a face
  24. fall — the season

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