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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 116 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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. saw — the tool
  3. court — for sport
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. face — part of the head
  6. court — of a king
  7. press — to push
  8. cue — a hint
  9. face — to confront
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. press — a publisher
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. cue — a signal
  15. cue — for pool
  16. face — to point toward
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. band — a music group
  19. band — a ring
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. press — newspapers
  23. court — of law
  24. saw — the tool

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