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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. pop — music
  3. pop — soda
  4. press — newspapers
  5. deal — to handle
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. press — to push
  9. pop — to visit
  10. hand — in cards
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. lie — to recline
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. press — a publisher
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. hand — help
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bear — the animal
  22. row — to paddle
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. lie — an untruth

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