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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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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: straw · scale · ball · land · deal · bore · press · wound

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. land — a country
  3. press — a publisher
  4. press — to push
  5. land — ground
  6. wound — an injury
  7. scale — in music
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. land — to come down
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. scale — size or range
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. deal — to handle
  18. wound — an injury
  19. bore — to tire
  20. ball — a dance
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. bore — to drill
  24. ball — a great time

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