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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 120 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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. press — a publisher
  3. object — an aim
  4. court — of a king
  5. chest — of your body
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. press — newspapers
  10. press — to push
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bore — to tire
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bass — low music
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. foot — a measure
  19. court — for sport
  20. object — to protest
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. chest — of your body
  23. chest — a box
  24. object — a thing

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