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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. bass — low music
  3. bank — for money
  4. press — a publisher
  5. fork — in a road
  6. press — to push
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. mine — for digging
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. bank — for money
  14. dip — to sink
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bank — of a river
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. bass — the fish
  24. fork — a garden tool

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