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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. can — a tin
  3. bank — for money
  4. club — for golf
  5. land — ground
  6. mug — a face
  7. press — newspapers
  8. land — to come down
  9. bank — for money
  10. club — a group
  11. press — to push
  12. mug — a cup
  13. can — a tin
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. can — to be able to
  16. club — for dancing
  17. dip — to sink
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. bank — of a river
  20. mug — to rob
  21. land — a country
  22. press — a publisher
  23. hand — in cards
  24. hand — help

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