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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. fine — all right
  3. last — to go on
  4. bank — for money
  5. press — to push
  6. bank — of a river
  7. mate — to breed
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. bank — for money
  10. press — a publisher
  11. last — final
  12. fine — high quality
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. game — wild animals
  17. mate — a partner
  18. game — a match
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. staff — employees
  21. mate — a friend
  22. staff — employees
  23. last — finally
  24. staff — a stick

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