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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. snap — to click
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. swing — in golf
  6. swing — to play on
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. press — newspapers
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. bore — to tire
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. bore — to drill
  13. swing — music
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. mine — for digging
  19. press — a publisher
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. ball — a great time
  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