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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 116 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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. press — newspapers
  5. track — a song
  6. press — to push
  7. squash — to crush
  8. net — for catching
  9. press — a publisher
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. ball — a great time
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. net — after costs
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. ball — a dance
  19. squash — the sport
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. track — to keep track
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. track — a path
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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