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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  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. club — for golf
  2. pit — in a race
  3. club — for dancing
  4. press — newspapers
  5. sharp — clever
  6. press — to push
  7. club — a group
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. dip — to sink
  10. press — a publisher
  11. bore — to tire
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. bank — of a river
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. bore — to drill
  17. face — to point toward
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. face — to confront
  20. bank — for money
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. pit — a hole
  23. face — part of the head
  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