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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. cell — a phone
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. staff — employees
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. cell — in biology
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. press — newspapers
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. land — a country
  14. staff — a stick
  15. press — to push
  16. land — ground
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. field — farmland
  19. field — a subject
  20. field — for sport
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. land — to come down
  23. press — a publisher
  24. staff — employees

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