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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 120 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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. pop — music
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. press — newspapers
  6. pit — in a race
  7. sharp — clever
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. ball — a dance
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. press — to push
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. kick — in football
  15. pit — a hole
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. pop — to visit
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. press — a publisher
  21. ball — a great time
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. pop — soda
  24. rash — hasty

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