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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 120 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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. present — a gift
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. press — newspapers
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. present — the time now
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. present — there
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. press — to push
  21. press — a publisher
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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