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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. game — wild animals
  3. game — a match
  4. suit — clothes
  5. bulb — for light
  6. press — a publisher
  7. suit — in cards
  8. present — there
  9. suit — to fit
  10. press — to push
  11. present — the time now
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. roll — a cake
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. press — newspapers
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. present — a gift
  22. roll — a list
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. game — a kind of play

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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