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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. press — a publisher
  3. race — the arms race
  4. roll — a list
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. toast — bread
  9. press — newspapers
  10. roll — a cake
  11. net — in sport
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. object — a thing
  14. kid — child
  15. race — humankind
  16. press — to push
  17. race — a contest
  18. net — after costs
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. object — to protest
  22. object — an aim
  23. net — for catching
  24. kid — to tease

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