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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. track — a path
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. press — newspapers
  5. pit — a hole
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. press — to push
  8. roll — a cake
  9. bank — for money
  10. track — a song
  11. bank — for money
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. bound — tied together
  14. roll — a list
  15. track — to keep track
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. foot — a measure
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bound — certain
  21. bound — obliged
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. pit — in a race

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