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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. bank — of a river
  3. scale — in music
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. press — to push
  6. mate — a friend
  7. current — electric
  8. press — a publisher
  9. bank — for money
  10. tube — a container
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. press — newspapers
  14. bank — for money
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. mate — a partner
  17. scale — size or range
  18. current — happening now
  19. mate — to breed
  20. tube — the underground
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. current — of water

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