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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. press — to push
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. content — the amount
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. content — happy
  7. bore — to tire
  8. press — newspapers
  9. club — a group
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. press — a publisher
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. bore — to drill
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. club — for golf
  21. sharp — clever
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. club — for dancing

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