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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. mark — a grade
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. lean — to bend
  7. press — newspapers
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mark — a trace
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. pound — a weight
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. season — of the year
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. press — to push
  17. season — in sport
  18. lean — thin
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. ball — a dance
  22. press — a publisher
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. ball — a great time

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