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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. last — finally
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. press — a publisher
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. spell — letters
  7. spell — a short time
  8. tear — from crying
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. tear — from crying
  12. club — for golf
  13. bass — low music
  14. press — to push
  15. club — a group
  16. spell — magic
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. press — newspapers
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. last — final
  21. tear — to rip
  22. club — for dancing
  23. last — to go on
  24. bowl — a football final

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