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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bound · ball · cue · bay · bowl · press

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. cue — for pool
  6. bound — tied together
  7. ball — a dance
  8. cue — a hint
  9. press — to push
  10. ball — a great time
  11. press — a publisher
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bound — obliged
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. press — newspapers
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. cue — a signal

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