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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. last — to go on
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. press — to push
  5. bank — for money
  6. shower — rain
  7. press — newspapers
  8. drill — a practice
  9. shower — to wash
  10. bound — certain
  11. bank — for money
  12. press — a publisher
  13. bound — tied together
  14. club — for golf
  15. drill — army training
  16. drill — the tool
  17. last — finally
  18. last — final
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. club — for dancing
  21. bound — obliged
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bank — of a river
  24. calf — of the leg

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