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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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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: row · roll · press · bear · court · mug · nail · charge

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. row — a line
  6. charge — electricity
  7. press — a publisher
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. roll — a cake
  10. court — of a king
  11. mug — a face
  12. bear — the animal
  13. press — to push
  14. press — newspapers
  15. row — to paddle
  16. charge — a price
  17. mug — a cup
  18. court — for sport
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. roll — a list
  21. bear — the animal
  22. charge — in control
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. mug — to rob

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