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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. dip — to sink
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — for money
  5. can — to be able to
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. bank — of a river
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. press — to push
  10. field — a subject
  11. can — a tin
  12. press — a publisher
  13. press — newspapers
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. squash — the sport
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. squash — to crush
  19. field — farmland
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. field — for sport
  24. can — a tin

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