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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. pop — soda
  3. press — a publisher
  4. ball — a great time
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. pop — music
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. ball — a dance
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. pop — to visit
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. tear — from crying
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. tear — to rip
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. press — newspapers
  22. tear — from crying
  23. toast — bread
  24. press — to push

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