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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. squash — the sport
  3. press — a publisher
  4. press — newspapers
  5. bank — for money
  6. bore — to drill
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. vault — a safe
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. press — to push
  12. row — a line
  13. bank — for money
  14. bore — to tire
  15. row — to paddle
  16. squash — to crush
  17. staff — employees
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. bank — of a river
  20. staff — a stick
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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