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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. press — a publisher
  3. rock — a stone
  4. press — to push
  5. bank — for money
  6. chest — of your body
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. rock — music
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. bound — certain
  11. bank — of a river
  12. chest — a box
  13. bound — tied together
  14. plane — a tool
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. chest — of your body
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. bank — for money
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. press — newspapers
  24. rock — to move gently

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