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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. rest — what's left
  3. press — to push
  4. press — a publisher
  5. bank — of a river
  6. rest — what's left
  7. fine — high quality
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. row — to paddle
  10. press — newspapers
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. chip — for betting
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. fine — all right
  15. wake — a trail
  16. rest — a break
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. bank — for money
  19. row — a line
  20. chip — to eat
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. jam — in traffic

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