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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 116 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: sharp · lie · bear · clip · season · bank · press · bowl

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. press — a publisher
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bank — for money
  6. clip — for paper
  7. press — newspapers
  8. season — in sport
  9. sharp — clever
  10. bank — for money
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. press — to push
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. lie — to recline
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. clip — a video
  21. season — of the year
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. clip — to cut
  24. lie — an untruth

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