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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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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: stick · bank · pit · pound · lie · press

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. pound — a weight
  4. bank — for money
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. pit — in a race
  12. lie — to recline
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. press — newspapers
  15. bank — of a river
  16. pit — a hole
  17. press — a publisher
  18. bank — for money

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