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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. squash — to crush
  3. file — a document
  4. bound — obliged
  5. squash — the sport
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. file — a line of people
  12. bound — certain
  13. press — to push
  14. court — for sport
  15. bound — tied together
  16. court — of law
  17. root — of a word
  18. file — a tool
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. court — of a king
  21. root — the cause
  22. root — of a plant
  23. press — a publisher
  24. coach — a trainer

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