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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. press — newspapers
  3. press — to push
  4. net — in sport
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. net — for catching
  10. deal — to handle
  11. press — a publisher
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. net — after costs
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. mine — for digging
  21. wind — moving air
  22. wind — moving air
  23. fork — in a road
  24. deal — an agreement

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