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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 124 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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. key — in music
  5. file — a line of people
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. court — of law
  8. press — newspapers
  9. file — a document
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. press — to push
  13. pop — to visit
  14. present — the time now
  15. pop — soda
  16. key — the most important part
  17. pop — music
  18. foot — a measure
  19. present — a gift
  20. court — of a king
  21. present — there
  22. file — a tool
  23. key — for a lock
  24. court — for sport

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