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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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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. hand — in cards
  7. hand — help
  8. net — after costs
  9. net — in sport
  10. press — a publisher
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. press — to push
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. press — newspapers
  18. pound — a weight
  19. net — for catching
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. squash — to crush
  24. safe — out of danger

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