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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  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. press — newspapers
  2. ball — a dance
  3. ball — a great time
  4. mark — a grade
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. row — a line
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. mark — a trace
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. wind — moving air
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. wound — an injury
  14. wind — moving air
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. pass — a permit
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. row — to paddle
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. press — to push
  23. wound — an injury
  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