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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. pop — soda
  3. pop — to visit
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. land — a country
  6. ball — a dance
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. land — ground
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. press — newspapers
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. sharp — clever
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a great time
  17. board — to get on
  18. land — to come down
  19. press — to push
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. board — a committee
  23. press — a publisher
  24. pop — music

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