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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: press · bowl · shower · saw · object · mine · bound · suit

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. mine — for digging
  4. press — to push
  5. suit — to fit
  6. object — a thing
  7. shower — rain
  8. shower — to wash
  9. bound — tied together
  10. suit — clothes
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. press — newspapers
  13. object — to protest
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bound — certain
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bound — obliged
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. press — a publisher
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. saw — the tool
  23. suit — in cards
  24. object — an aim

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