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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: band · bowl · leaves · press · scale · chair · pitcher · trunk

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. chair — a leader
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. press — newspapers
  5. press — a publisher
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. band — a ring
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. band — a music group
  15. press — to push
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. scale — size or range
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. leaves — of a tree

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