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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. press — to push
  4. press — newspapers
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. press — a publisher
  9. squash — the sport
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. squash — to crush
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. rock — music
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. wax — to grow
  23. pound — a weight
  24. rock — a stone

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