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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. land — to come down
  3. bank — of a river
  4. press — a publisher
  5. land — ground
  6. press — to push
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bank — for money
  9. track — to keep track
  10. track — a path
  11. track — a song
  12. land — a country
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. key — the most important part
  15. bank — for money
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. key — for a lock
  19. press — newspapers
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. rock — music
  22. key — in music
  23. bear — the animal
  24. pitcher — a jug

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