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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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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: snap · bank · kid · season · root · drill · temple · press

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. press — newspapers
  4. bank — for money
  5. root — the cause
  6. drill — a practice
  7. drill — the tool
  8. root — of a word
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. kid — child
  14. root — of a plant
  15. snap — to click
  16. drill — army training
  17. bank — of a river
  18. kid — to tease
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. season — in sport
  22. season — of the year
  23. bank — for money
  24. press — to push

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