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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 116 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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. rest — a break
  3. content — the amount
  4. bank — for money
  5. press — a publisher
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. press — newspapers
  8. capital — money
  9. rest — what's left
  10. capital — a city
  11. press — to push
  12. mug — a face
  13. chair — a leader
  14. rest — what's left
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. content — happy
  17. bank — of a river
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. wake — a trail
  22. mug — a cup
  23. bank — for money
  24. chair — to sit on

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