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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. court — for sport
  3. net — for catching
  4. court — of law
  5. can — to be able to
  6. can — a tin
  7. toast — bread
  8. net — after costs
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. rash — a series
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. court — of a king
  13. rash — hasty
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. press — a publisher
  16. can — a tin
  17. press — newspapers
  18. net — in sport
  19. press — to push
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. fine — all right
  24. mouse — the animal

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