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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. tube — the underground
  6. present — there
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. last — final
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. ball — a great time
  12. bound — tied together
  13. last — finally
  14. tube — a container
  15. bound — certain
  16. last — to go on
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. bound — obliged
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. dip — to sink
  21. present — a gift
  22. press — newspapers
  23. present — the time now
  24. press — to push

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