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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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. press — newspapers
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fall — to drop
  6. net — for catching
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. ground — a position
  9. press — a publisher
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. fall — the season
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. band — a music group
  15. net — after costs
  16. press — to push
  17. band — a ring
  18. tube — a container
  19. tube — the underground
  20. ground — crushed
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. net — in sport
  24. ground — the earth

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