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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. march — music
  4. press — newspapers
  5. file — a line of people
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — for light
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. file — a tool
  12. march — the month
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. net — after costs
  15. file — a document
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. press — a publisher
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. net — for catching
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. stand — to bear
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. march — the month
  24. press — to push

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