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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. can — a tin
  3. bat — the animal
  4. press — newspapers
  5. rash — a series
  6. mate — a friend
  7. rash — hasty
  8. can — a tin
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. mate — a partner
  12. press — to push
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. can — to be able to
  17. press — a publisher
  18. scale — in music
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. scale — size or range
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. coach — a trainer

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