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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 120 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: march · press · bowl · object · ground · stand · row · cue

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. march — the month
  3. object — an aim
  4. object — a thing
  5. press — to push
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. press — newspapers
  8. ground — the earth
  9. object — to protest
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. march — music
  13. cue — a signal
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. row — to paddle
  16. ground — crushed
  17. cue — a hint
  18. press — a publisher
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. ground — a position
  21. cue — for pool
  22. row — a line
  23. stand — to bear
  24. bowl — a football final

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