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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.

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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. land — ground
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bank — of a river
  5. land — to come down
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. bass — the fish
  8. bank — for money
  9. press — newspapers
  10. cell — in biology
  11. bear — the animal
  12. press — a publisher
  13. rest — what's left
  14. cell — a phone
  15. rest — a break
  16. board — to get on
  17. bass — low music
  18. board — a committee
  19. press — to push
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. bank — for money
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. land — a country
  24. bear — to put up with

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