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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. bear — the animal
  4. fork — in a road
  5. hand — help
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. press — newspapers
  8. firm — a company
  9. press — to push
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. tube — the underground
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. press — a publisher
  14. firm — decided
  15. ball — a great time
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. bear — the animal
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. ball — a dance
  22. firm — steady
  23. tube — a container
  24. kick — in football

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