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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. net — for catching
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. press — to push
  5. mine — for digging
  6. press — a publisher
  7. staff — employees
  8. staff — a stick
  9. net — in sport
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. ball — a great time
  13. bank — of a river
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bank — for money
  16. ball — a dance
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. bank — for money
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. staff — employees
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. net — after costs

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