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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. drill — the tool
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. press — to push
  5. bulb — for light
  6. press — a publisher
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. drill — a practice
  9. bank — of a river
  10. drill — army training
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bulb — for light
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. shower — to wash
  22. press — newspapers
  23. bank — for money
  24. shower — rain

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