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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. rush — hurry
  3. press — newspapers
  4. prune — to trim
  5. press — a publisher
  6. band — a ring
  7. band — a music group
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. press — to push
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. prune — to trim
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. court — for sport
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. court — of law

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