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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: field · can · press · jam · bowl · mug · spring · bore

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. can — a tin
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. can — a tin
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. press — newspapers
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. spring — the season
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. spring — a coil
  12. field — for sport
  13. press — a publisher
  14. mug — a face
  15. press — to push
  16. mug — a cup
  17. bore — to drill
  18. can — to be able to
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. field — a subject
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. field — farmland
  23. bore — to tire
  24. mug — to rob

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