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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: cue · bowl · press · deal · nail · ball

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. cue — for pool
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. ball — a great time
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. cue — a hint
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. press — newspapers
  11. press — to push
  12. deal — to handle
  13. cue — a signal
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. ball — a dance
  17. press — a publisher
  18. ball — a round shape

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