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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 116 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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. saw — the tool
  5. ground — the earth
  6. mug — a face
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. saw — the tool
  9. net — for catching
  10. mug — to rob
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. ground — crushed
  13. press — a publisher
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. press — to push
  17. net — in sport
  18. press — newspapers
  19. root — the cause
  20. net — after costs
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. root — of a plant
  23. root — of a word
  24. ground — a position

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