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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 shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — of a river
  4. rash — a series
  5. charge — electricity
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. fine — all right
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. shower — to wash
  11. shower — rain
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. rash — hasty
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. press — a publisher
  16. bank — for money
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. press — to push
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. deal — to handle
  21. press — newspapers
  22. charge — a price
  23. charge — in control
  24. fine — a penalty

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