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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. scale — size or range
  3. track — a song
  4. bank — for money
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rest — a break
  7. press — to push
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bank — of a river
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. mug — a cup
  14. mug — to rob
  15. track — to keep track
  16. scale — in music
  17. press — newspapers
  18. rest — what's left
  19. press — a publisher
  20. track — a path
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — the fish
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. mug — a face

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