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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. sharp — clever
  3. saw — the tool
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. saw — the tool
  6. shower — rain
  7. press — a publisher
  8. shower — to wash
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. dip — to sink
  11. press — to push
  12. court — of a king
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. court — for sport
  17. rock — music
  18. press — newspapers
  19. stand — to bear
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. court — of law
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. sharp — with an edge

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