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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: row · dip · prune · land · ball · press · suit · bank

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. land — to come down
  3. prune — to trim
  4. bank — for money
  5. land — ground
  6. suit — clothes
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. press — newspapers
  9. press — to push
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. prune — to trim
  12. bank — of a river
  13. press — a publisher
  14. row — to paddle
  15. suit — in cards
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. ball — a dance
  18. bank — for money
  19. dip — to sink
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. ball — a great time
  22. suit — to fit
  23. land — a country
  24. row — a line

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