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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. row — a line
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — what's left
  9. press — to push
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. rest — a break
  12. toast — bread
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. press — a publisher
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. row — to paddle
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. date — the fruit

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