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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 116 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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. bank — for money
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. press — a publisher
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. cap — a lid
  8. press — newspapers
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bank — of a river
  11. cap — of ice
  12. bank — for money
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. bark — to shout
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. saw — the tool
  19. lie — to recline
  20. press — to push
  21. pound — a weight
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. cap — a hat

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