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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. net — for catching
  3. bank — for money
  4. press — to push
  5. charge — a price
  6. press — newspapers
  7. charge — electricity
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. press — a publisher
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. wax — to grow
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. net — in sport
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bank — of a river
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. bark — to shout
  19. spell — a short time
  20. charge — in control
  21. spell — magic
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. net — after costs
  24. spell — letters

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