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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. deal — to handle
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. board — a committee
  5. court — for sport
  6. press — to push
  7. shower — to wash
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. shower — rain
  10. court — of law
  11. bound — certain
  12. bound — obliged
  13. ball — a dance
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. court — of a king
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. board — to get on
  20. ball — a great time
  21. press — a publisher
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bound — tied together
  24. deal — an agreement

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