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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. can — to be able to
  4. club — a group
  5. game — a match
  6. press — newspapers
  7. face — part of the head
  8. press — a publisher
  9. club — for golf
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. can — a tin
  14. press — to push
  15. drill — army training
  16. drill — a practice
  17. drill — the tool
  18. face — to point toward
  19. game — wild animals
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. can — a tin
  22. face — to confront
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. club — for dancing

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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