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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. cue — a signal
  6. cue — for pool
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. mine — for digging
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bulb — for light
  13. craft — boats
  14. craft — a skill
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. cue — a hint
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. press — a publisher
  20. press — newspapers
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. press — to push
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. fan — a supporter

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