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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. rule — a law
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. press — newspapers
  5. press — a publisher
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. club — for golf
  9. degree — temperature
  10. rule — government
  11. degree — from a university
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. press — to push
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. club — a group
  20. club — for dancing
  21. degree — an amount
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. deal — to handle

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