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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. cue — a signal
  4. craft — boats
  5. stem — to come from
  6. cue — for pool
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. craft — a skill
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. ball — a great time
  13. rule — government
  14. cue — a hint
  15. press — newspapers
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. rash — a series
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. ball — a dance
  20. rash — hasty
  21. rule — a law
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. press — a publisher
  24. press — to push

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