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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. cue — a signal
  3. pop — to visit
  4. scale — size or range
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. pit — in a race
  8. press — to push
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. pop — soda
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. pop — music
  15. snap — to click
  16. press — a publisher
  17. cue — for pool
  18. cue — a hint
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. shower — rain
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. scale — in music
  23. shower — to wash
  24. pit — a hole

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