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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. squash — the sport
  4. can — a tin
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. press — a publisher
  8. press — newspapers
  9. scale — in music
  10. can — a tin
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. net — in sport
  14. ball — a great time
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. scale — size or range
  17. ball — a dance
  18. press — to push
  19. squash — to crush
  20. can — to be able to
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. net — after costs
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. net — for catching

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