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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. game — a match
  3. ground — crushed
  4. press — a publisher
  5. scale — in music
  6. ground — the earth
  7. ball — a dance
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. season — of the year
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. press — to push
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. scale — size or range
  15. ball — a great time
  16. game — wild animals
  17. dip — to sink
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. ground — a position
  20. press — newspapers
  21. season — in sport
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. game — a kind of play

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