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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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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: mine · suit · bank · scale · face · press

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. scale — in music
  3. bank — for money
  4. suit — in cards
  5. press — newspapers
  6. mine — for digging
  7. scale — size or range
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. face — to confront
  10. suit — clothes
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — of a river
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. press — to push
  15. face — part of the head
  16. suit — to fit
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. face — to point toward

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