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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. press — newspapers
  3. press — a publisher
  4. bank — for money
  5. chest — of your body
  6. season — in sport
  7. pop — to visit
  8. chest — a box
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. kick — in football
  12. cell — in biology
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. press — to push
  15. dip — to sink
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. chest — of your body
  20. bank — for money
  21. cell — a phone
  22. pop — music
  23. bank — of a river
  24. pop — soda

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