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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. press — to push
  4. stock — goods
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. fall — to drop
  7. bore — to drill
  8. suit — to fit
  9. bank — for money
  10. mine — for digging
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bank — of a river
  13. pass — a permit
  14. press — a publisher
  15. fall — the season
  16. suit — clothes
  17. bank — for money
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. suit — in cards
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. stock — shares
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. press — newspapers
  24. fall — to drop

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