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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. press — a publisher
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. scale — size or range
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. net — after costs
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. foot — a measure
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. rule — a law
  17. net — for catching
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. press — newspapers
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. rule — government
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. press — to push
  24. scale — in music

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