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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 120 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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. staff — a stick
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. bass — low music
  6. staff — employees
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. row — to paddle
  9. staff — employees
  10. press — to push
  11. game — a match
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. game — wild animals
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. press — newspapers
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. foot — a measure
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. press — a publisher
  23. squash — to crush
  24. squash — the sport

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