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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. wound — an injury
  3. cue — for pool
  4. net — in sport
  5. wound — an injury
  6. staff — a stick
  7. net — for catching
  8. mate — a friend
  9. mate — a partner
  10. tube — a container
  11. cue — a signal
  12. net — after costs
  13. staff — employees
  14. press — to push
  15. press — newspapers
  16. cue — a hint
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. mate — to breed
  19. staff — employees
  20. rock — music
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. tube — the underground
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. rock — a stone

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