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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 120 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: wake · rest · bear · bowl · scale · press

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  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 — a publisher
  2. scale — in music
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. press — newspapers
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bear — the animal
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — a break
  12. press — to push
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. wake — a trail
  16. bear — the animal
  17. scale — size or range
  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