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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: game · bowl · roll · mug · pop · press · chair · mouse

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. pop — to visit
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. chair — a leader
  7. roll — a list
  8. pop — soda
  9. mug — a face
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. game — a match
  12. press — newspapers
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. press — a publisher
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. press — to push
  17. roll — a cake
  18. pop — music
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. mug — to rob
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. mug — a cup
  23. game — wild animals
  24. roll — on a roll

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