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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. object — to protest
  4. press — a publisher
  5. press — newspapers
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. scale — in music
  8. race — the arms race
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. deal — to handle
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. press — to push
  15. race — humankind
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. object — a thing
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. rock — music
  20. mark — a grade
  21. race — a contest
  22. scale — size or range
  23. mark — a trace
  24. rock — a stone

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