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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. spell — letters
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. press — a publisher
  6. ball — a dance
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. can — to be able to
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. ball — a great time
  13. stand — to bear
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fall — the season
  16. can — a tin
  17. spell — a short time
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. can — a tin
  20. fall — to drop
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. press — to push
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. spell — magic

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