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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ground · can · press · mark · stick · fan · game · ball

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. game — wild animals
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. ball — a dance
  5. press — to push
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. can — a tin
  8. game — a match
  9. mark — a trace
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. press — a publisher
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. press — newspapers
  15. ground — crushed
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. ground — the earth
  18. can — a tin
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. can — to be able to
  21. mark — a grade
  22. ground — a position
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. ball — a round shape

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