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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: present · nail · race · ruler · bowl · content · rash · press

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. rash — a series
  3. press — to push
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. present — there
  12. race — the arms race
  13. rash — hasty
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. content — the amount
  16. press — newspapers
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. race — a contest
  19. press — a publisher
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. present — a gift
  22. present — the time now
  23. content — happy
  24. race — humankind

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