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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: bowl · file · press · present · deal · pound · fan · lie

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. present — a gift
  3. file — a document
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. press — to push
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. file — a tool
  9. file — a line of people
  10. present — the time now
  11. pound — a weight
  12. lie — to recline
  13. deal — to handle
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. present — there
  19. press — a publisher
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. press — newspapers
  23. fan — to cool the air
  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