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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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. drill — the tool
  3. ball — a great time
  4. press — to push
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. drill — army training
  7. press — newspapers
  8. bound — obliged
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. press — a publisher
  11. drill — a practice
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. bank — of a river
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. bank — for money
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. bound — tied together
  20. stock — goods
  21. bank — for money
  22. bound — certain
  23. stock — shares
  24. ball — a round shape

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