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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 120 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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. net — for catching
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. wound — an injury
  6. bank — for money
  7. ball — a dance
  8. net — in sport
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. press — a publisher
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. dip — to sink
  17. net — after costs
  18. ball — a great time
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. wound — an injury
  21. bank — for money
  22. press — to push
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. press — newspapers

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