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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: fan · race · press · ball · dip · bay · perch · pop

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. ball — a dance
  3. pop — soda
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. pop — to visit
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. race — humankind
  9. perch — the fish
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. race — the arms race
  12. pop — music
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. dip — to sink
  15. press — to push
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. press — newspapers
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. ball — a great time
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. race — a contest
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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