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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. squash — the sport
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. mate — a friend
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. court — of a king
  8. court — for sport
  9. spell — a short time
  10. board — a committee
  11. spell — letters
  12. squash — to crush
  13. spell — magic
  14. mate — to breed
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. board — to get on
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. press — a publisher
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. mate — a partner
  22. press — to push
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. court — of law

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