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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. rule — government
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. can — a tin
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. sharp — clever
  14. rule — a law
  15. can — to be able to
  16. stem — to come from
  17. rock — a stone
  18. press — to push
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. press — newspapers
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. press — a publisher
  23. can — a tin
  24. rock — music

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