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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. spring — a coil
  3. cue — a hint
  4. cue — a signal
  5. pop — to visit
  6. pop — soda
  7. fine — all right
  8. mug — to rob
  9. spring — of water
  10. pop — music
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. cue — for pool
  14. hand — in cards
  15. spring — the season
  16. fall — the season
  17. mug — a cup
  18. fine — high quality
  19. mug — a face
  20. press — a publisher
  21. hand — help
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. fall — to drop
  24. press — to push

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