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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. land — ground
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. track — to keep track
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. press — newspapers
  7. roll — a cake
  8. press — a publisher
  9. land — a country
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. track — a path
  12. roll — a list
  13. land — to come down
  14. mug — to rob
  15. face — part of the head
  16. face — to point toward
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. face — to confront
  19. press — to push
  20. mug — a cup
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bank — for money
  23. track — a song
  24. mug — a face

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