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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bass · cell · ruler · press · stock · bank

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. stock — goods
  4. bank — of a river
  5. press — to push
  6. cell — a phone
  7. cell — in biology
  8. press — a publisher
  9. stock — shares
  10. bank — for money
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. bass — low music
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bank — for money
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. press — newspapers

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