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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. bank — of a river
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. press — to push
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. bank — for money
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. current — happening now
  13. press — newspapers
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. current — electric
  17. current — of water
  18. bank — for money
  19. date — the fruit
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. wake — a trail
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. press — a publisher

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