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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. spring — of water
  3. mug — a cup
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. mug — to rob
  6. press — to push
  7. deal — to handle
  8. pop — soda
  9. press — newspapers
  10. spring — the season
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. pop — to visit
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. mug — a face
  16. spring — a coil
  17. sharp — clever
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. pop — music
  22. press — a publisher
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. deal — a big deal

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