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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. spring — of water
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. mark — a trace
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. press — newspapers
  10. press — a publisher
  11. bass — the fish
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. rule — government
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. spring — the season
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. press — to push
  20. spring — a coil
  21. rule — a law
  22. bass — low music
  23. bear — the animal
  24. mark — a grade

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