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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. roll — a cake
  3. roll — a list
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bank — for money
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. drill — a practice
  8. press — newspapers
  9. drill — army training
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. board — a committee
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. press — to push
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bear — the animal
  17. drill — the tool
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. foot — a measure
  20. press — a publisher
  21. board — to get on
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. bank — for money

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