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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: pound · press · bank · scale · bear · bowl

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. pound — a weight
  3. press — a publisher
  4. bank — for money
  5. press — newspapers
  6. bear — the animal
  7. scale — size or range
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bank — for money
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. scale — in music
  18. bowl — to roll

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