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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. press — newspapers
  3. rush — hurry
  4. spring — a coil
  5. press — a publisher
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. spring — of water
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. last — finally
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. pop — music
  14. spring — the season
  15. last — to go on
  16. pop — to visit
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. press — to push
  19. pop — soda
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. chair — a leader
  23. last — final
  24. chair — to sit on

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