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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 116 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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. tear — from crying
  5. press — a publisher
  6. chip — for betting
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. game — a match
  10. press — newspapers
  11. chip — to eat
  12. fine — all right
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. current — electric
  15. band — a music group
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. tear — from crying
  18. band — a ring
  19. current — of water
  20. press — to push
  21. game — wild animals
  22. tear — to rip
  23. current — happening now
  24. fine — high quality

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