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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 120 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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. court — of a king
  3. bank — for money
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. bank — for money
  7. court — of law
  8. rule — government
  9. cap — a lid
  10. court — for sport
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. cap — a hat
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. press — to push
  18. rule — a law
  19. bank — of a river
  20. deal — to handle
  21. press — a publisher
  22. cap — of ice
  23. ball — a dance
  24. press — newspapers

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