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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. press — a publisher
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bulb — for light
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. shower — rain
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. row — a line
  18. row — to paddle
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. roll — a list
  21. roll — a cake
  22. shower — to wash
  23. press — to push
  24. bulb — for light

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