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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. craft — boats
  3. staff — employees
  4. mate — to breed
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. court — for sport
  7. mate — a partner
  8. craft — a skill
  9. staff — a stick
  10. court — of a king
  11. fine — all right
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — a break
  14. rest — what's left
  15. mate — a friend
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. fine — high quality
  18. court — of law
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. staff — employees
  21. press — a publisher
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. press — to push
  24. foot — a measure

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