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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  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. trunk — of a tree
  2. staff — employees
  3. ball — a great time
  4. field — farmland
  5. press — newspapers
  6. field — a subject
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. race — the arms race
  10. fine — all right
  11. fine — high quality
  12. press — to push
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. race — a contest
  16. ball — a dance
  17. field — for sport
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. staff — a stick
  21. race — humankind
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. staff — employees
  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