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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
468
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: lie · root · bat · racket · spring · pass · press · bowl

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. press — to push
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. root — the cause
  7. pass — a permit
  8. spring — a coil
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. bat — the animal
  11. root — of a plant
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. press — a publisher
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. root — of a word
  20. press — newspapers
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. spring — the season
  23. lie — to recline
  24. spring — of water

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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