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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
468
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: bear · cap · craft · roll · object · press · bowl · wound

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. object — an aim
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. press — to push
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. bear — the animal
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. craft — a skill
  11. cap — of ice
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. cap — a hat
  14. press — a publisher
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. cap — a lid
  17. object — a thing
  18. roll — a list
  19. wound — an injury
  20. craft — boats
  21. bear — the animal
  22. roll — a cake
  23. object — to protest
  24. wound — an injury

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