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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. press — a publisher
  3. mate — to breed
  4. press — to push
  5. roll — a cake
  6. charge — a price
  7. mate — a partner
  8. object — a thing
  9. object — an aim
  10. charge — electricity
  11. object — to protest
  12. press — newspapers
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bank — of a river
  16. firm — steady
  17. mate — a friend
  18. firm — decided
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. bank — for money
  21. charge — in control
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. roll — a list
  24. bank — for money

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