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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. bank — for money
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bank — for money
  5. press — to push
  6. wind — moving air
  7. can — a tin
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. can — a tin
  11. pit — in a race
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. pit — a hole
  14. wake — a trail
  15. perch — the fish
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. can — to be able to
  18. press — a publisher
  19. wind — moving air
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. press — newspapers
  24. bank — of a river

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