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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. court — of law
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. court — for sport
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. mine — for digging
  9. scale — size or range
  10. press — newspapers
  11. bear — the animal
  12. press — to push
  13. chair — a leader
  14. court — of a king
  15. bear — the animal
  16. scale — in music
  17. press — a publisher
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. rush — hurry
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. leaves — to go away

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