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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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. press — newspapers
  3. press — to push
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. suit — clothes
  6. press — a publisher
  7. rash — a series
  8. ball — a great time
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. band — a ring
  11. suit — in cards
  12. spring — the season
  13. rash — hasty
  14. spring — of water
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. row — a line
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. row — to paddle
  20. band — a music group
  21. deal — to handle
  22. suit — to fit
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. spring — a coil

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