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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. sharp — clever
  3. press — a publisher
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. charge — in control
  7. pop — soda
  8. can — a tin
  9. ball — a dance
  10. charge — a price
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — to be able to
  13. wake — a trail
  14. press — to push
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. fine — high quality
  17. pop — music
  18. fine — all right
  19. press — newspapers
  20. ball — a great time
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. pop — to visit
  23. charge — electricity
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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