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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. scale — in music
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. net — after costs
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. lie — to recline
  9. press — newspapers
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. scale — size or range
  12. last — to go on
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. last — finally
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. press — a publisher
  17. press — to push
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. last — final
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. deal — to handle
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. net — for catching
  24. lie — an untruth

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