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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: bowl · can · toast · press · ball · leaves · present · field

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. press — newspapers
  4. toast — bread
  5. present — there
  6. can — to be able to
  7. field — for sport
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. press — a publisher
  13. press — to push
  14. field — a subject
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. present — the time now
  17. ball — a dance
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — a tin
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. ball — a great time
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. present — a gift

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