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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. press — newspapers
  3. land — to come down
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. club — for golf
  6. club — a group
  7. band — a music group
  8. land — a country
  9. cue — a hint
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. press — a publisher
  12. club — for dancing
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. land — ground
  15. date — the fruit
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. pass — a permit
  18. bank — for money
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. cue — a signal
  21. band — a ring
  22. cue — for pool
  23. bank — for money
  24. bank — of a river

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