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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. wound — an injury
  3. press — to push
  4. current — electric
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. bass — the fish
  7. current — happening now
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. can — to be able to
  12. can — a tin
  13. bark — to shout
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. can — a tin
  16. wound — an injury
  17. press — newspapers
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. current — of water
  22. bank — for money
  23. bass — low music
  24. bank — for money

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