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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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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: object · foot · cue · deal · cap · game · press · fine

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. cue — a hint
  3. fine — all right
  4. cap — of ice
  5. object — a thing
  6. press — a publisher
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. cue — a signal
  9. cap — a hat
  10. foot — a measure
  11. fine — high quality
  12. cue — for pool
  13. press — to push
  14. object — to protest
  15. object — an aim
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. press — newspapers
  19. deal — to handle
  20. cap — a lid
  21. game — a match
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. deal — an agreement

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