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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: season · press · bank · fall · cabinet · mug · calf · fan

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. press — to push
  3. press — a publisher
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. mug — a cup
  6. season — in sport
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. fall — the season
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. season — of the year
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. bank — for money
  15. press — newspapers
  16. bank — for money
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. fall — to drop
  19. mug — a face
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. mug — to rob
  22. fall — to drop
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bank — of a river

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