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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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. bowl — a dish
  4. root — of a plant
  5. hand — help
  6. rock — music
  7. press — to push
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. root — the cause
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. tube — a container
  12. roll — a list
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. press — a publisher
  15. bass — the fish
  16. hand — in cards
  17. tube — the underground
  18. bass — low music
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. roll — a cake
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. root — of a word

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