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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. mine — for digging
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. wake — a trail
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. press — newspapers
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. press — to push
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. shower — to wash
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. shower — rain
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. toast — bread

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