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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. mate — a friend
  3. shower — rain
  4. press — to push
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. band — a ring
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rock — music
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. object — to protest
  12. mate — to breed
  13. shower — to wash
  14. cue — for pool
  15. root — of a plant
  16. object — a thing
  17. band — a music group
  18. cue — a hint
  19. cue — a signal
  20. root — of a word
  21. mate — a partner
  22. root — the cause
  23. press — a publisher
  24. object — an aim

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