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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. can — a tin
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. dip — to sink
  6. court — of a king
  7. rush — hurry
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. press — a publisher
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. press — to push
  13. can — to be able to
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. wound — an injury
  16. press — newspapers
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. court — of law
  23. court — for sport
  24. can — a tin

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