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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. face — to point toward
  3. march — music
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. fine — high quality
  8. face — to confront
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. face — part of the head
  12. press — newspapers
  13. drill — a practice
  14. fine — all right
  15. march — the month
  16. march — the month
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. drill — army training
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. press — a publisher
  21. bank — of a river
  22. press — to push
  23. bank — for money
  24. drill — the tool

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