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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: drill · fall · press · chip · pop · lash · bank · stock

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. press — a publisher
  3. stock — shares
  4. drill — the tool
  5. press — newspapers
  6. bank — for money
  7. drill — a practice
  8. fall — to drop
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. fall — to drop
  11. press — to push
  12. pop — to visit
  13. chip — to eat
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. chip — for betting
  18. stock — goods
  19. pop — soda
  20. bank — of a river
  21. pop — music
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. bank — for money
  24. fall — the season

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