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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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. nail — for a hammer
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. pass — a permit
  6. fine — all right
  7. press — to push
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. bank — for money
  11. press — a publisher
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. press — newspapers
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. bank — of a river
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. stand — to bear
  24. mine — for digging

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