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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. suit — in cards
  6. suit — to fit
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. press — to push
  9. press — a publisher
  10. band — a ring
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. ball — a great time
  16. deal — to handle
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. press — newspapers
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. rush — hurry
  23. band — a music group
  24. suit — clothes

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