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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. rest — what's left
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. press — to push
  5. prune — to trim
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. court — of law
  8. court — for sport
  9. staff — employees
  10. court — of a king
  11. prune — to trim
  12. drill — the tool
  13. press — newspapers
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. staff — a stick
  17. drill — a practice
  18. rest — a break
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. rest — what's left
  21. drill — army training
  22. staff — employees
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. press — a publisher

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