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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: bank · roll · bowl · press · fan · sharp · pass · pop

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. bank — of a river
  3. press — a publisher
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. pop — soda
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. pop — music
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. press — to push
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. roll — a cake
  17. pass — a permit
  18. bank — for money
  19. pop — to visit
  20. bank — for money
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. press — newspapers
  23. sharp — clever
  24. roll — a list

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