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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. cell — in biology
  3. object — to protest
  4. drill — the tool
  5. drill — a practice
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. ground — the earth
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. press — newspapers
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ground — a position
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. press — to push
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. cell — a phone
  18. ground — crushed
  19. object — a thing
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. drill — army training
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. press — a publisher
  24. bowl — to roll

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