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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: lean · bound · bowl · season · press · spell · chip · stand

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. bound — tied together
  4. press — newspapers
  5. spell — magic
  6. chip — to eat
  7. lean — to bend
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. chip — for betting
  10. spell — letters
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. lean — thin
  16. press — a publisher
  17. bound — obliged
  18. press — to push
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. spell — a short time
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. stand — to bear
  23. bound — certain
  24. season — of the year

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