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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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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: bowl · ball · press · lean · club · ruler

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ball — a great time
  3. lean — thin
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. club — for golf
  6. press — newspapers
  7. lean — to bend
  8. club — a group
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. press — to push
  14. press — a publisher
  15. club — for dancing
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. ball — a dance

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