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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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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'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. stem — to come from
  3. bank — for money
  4. club — for dancing
  5. bound — obliged
  6. press — newspapers
  7. club — for golf
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. club — a group
  11. game — a match
  12. press — a publisher
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. game — wild animals
  15. bound — certain
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. press — to push
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bound — tied together
  21. bass — the fish
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. bass — low music
  24. foot — a measure

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