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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. mark — a grade
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. ball — a dance
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. cue — for pool
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cue — a signal
  14. press — to push
  15. ball — a great time
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mark — a trace
  18. press — newspapers
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. wake — a trail
  24. press — a publisher

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