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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. chest — of your body
  4. bank — for money
  5. chest — of your body
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. chest — a box
  8. pass — a permit
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — to trim
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bark — to shout
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. press — to push
  16. press — a publisher
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. press — newspapers
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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