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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. track — a path
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. press — newspapers
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. bat — the animal
  7. press — to push
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. pop — to visit
  10. track — to keep track
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. pop — music
  13. press — a publisher
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. pop — soda
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. track — a song
  18. bat — in an idiom

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