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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 116 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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. mate — a friend
  3. press — newspapers
  4. present — a gift
  5. press — to push
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. bass — low music
  8. season — in sport
  9. perch — the fish
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. present — there
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bank — for money
  14. mate — to breed
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. season — of the year
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. present — the time now
  19. chip — for betting
  20. chip — to eat
  21. bass — the fish
  22. press — a publisher
  23. mate — a partner
  24. bass — the instrument

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