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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  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. bat — in an idiom
  2. press — newspapers
  3. ball — a great time
  4. drill — the tool
  5. stock — shares
  6. ball — a dance
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. mug — a cup
  9. drill — a practice
  10. press — to push
  11. deal — to handle
  12. mug — to rob
  13. drill — army training
  14. bat — the animal
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. mug — a face
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. stock — goods
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. deal — an agreement
  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