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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. staff — a stick
  4. rest — what's left
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. staff — employees
  7. mine — for digging
  8. press — newspapers
  9. press — to push
  10. staff — employees
  11. bank — of a river
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. bank — for money
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. fork — in a road
  18. plane — a tool
  19. press — a publisher
  20. rest — a break
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. rest — what's left
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. hide — to keep secret

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