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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. stem — to come from
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. swing — in golf
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. swing — music
  10. press — to push
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. fine — high quality
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fine — all right
  16. spring — a coil
  17. swing — to play on
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. fall — to drop
  20. spring — of water
  21. spring — the season
  22. press — a publisher
  23. fall — the season
  24. stem — of a plant

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