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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. vault — a safe
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. can — a tin
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. bass — low music
  9. degree — an amount
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. spell — letters
  13. degree — from a university
  14. press — a publisher
  15. can — to be able to
  16. press — to push
  17. degree — temperature
  18. bass — the fish
  19. spell — a short time
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. can — a tin
  22. spell — magic
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. bowl — to roll

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