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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. content — the amount
  4. press — newspapers
  5. plane — a tool
  6. shower — rain
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. net — for catching
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. spell — letters
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. press — to push
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. net — in sport
  16. shower — to wash
  17. spell — a short time
  18. content — happy
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. press — a publisher
  22. spell — magic
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. net — after costs

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