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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: ball · bank · press · roll · plane · mine · bark · stick

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. press — newspapers
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. press — to push
  9. ball — a dance
  10. bark — to shout
  11. mine — for digging
  12. bank — of a river
  13. roll — a list
  14. press — a publisher
  15. bank — for money
  16. plane — a tool
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. ball — a great time
  19. bank — for money
  20. roll — a cake
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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