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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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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: press · foot · branch · court · toast · race · bowl · lie

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. toast — bread
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. press — to push
  5. race — the arms race
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. court — for sport
  11. press — a publisher
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. foot — a measure
  15. branch — a division
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. race — humankind
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. court — of a king
  21. court — of law
  22. lie — to recline
  23. race — a contest
  24. foot — the bottom

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