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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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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. bat — the animal
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. press — newspapers
  6. press — a publisher
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. key — the most important part
  11. key — in music
  12. shower — to wash
  13. press — to push
  14. key — for a lock
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. snap — to click

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