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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. field — a subject
  3. bank — for money
  4. squash — the sport
  5. bark — to shout
  6. press — newspapers
  7. mug — to rob
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. press — a publisher
  10. mug — a face
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. pass — a permit
  13. field — for sport
  14. bank — for money
  15. field — farmland
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. press — to push
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. squash — to crush
  24. squash — the vegetable

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