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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: pound · hide · current · present · bowl · press

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. pound — a weight
  4. press — a publisher
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. current — happening now
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. press — to push
  12. present — the time now
  13. press — newspapers
  14. present — there
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. present — a gift
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. current — of water

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