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

Word bank: mouse · toast · press · pound · race · bowl

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. race — the arms race
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. press — a publisher
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. pound — a weight
  7. race — humankind
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. race — a contest
  11. toast — bread
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. press — to push
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. press — newspapers

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