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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. press — newspapers
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. press — to push
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. file — a document
  12. key — in music
  13. lean — thin
  14. file — a line of people
  15. lean — to bend
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. file — a tool
  20. press — a publisher
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. key — the most important part
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. key — for a lock

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