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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. mate — to breed
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. court — of a king
  5. snap — to click
  6. bound — certain
  7. press — newspapers
  8. object — an aim
  9. object — to protest
  10. mate — a friend
  11. court — for sport
  12. court — of law
  13. mate — a partner
  14. foot — a measure
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. press — a publisher
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. bound — obliged
  20. object — a thing
  21. fork — in a road
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. bound — tied together
  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