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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: bay · lie · bank · bowl · wound · bore · date · press

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. lie — to recline
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. press — to push
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. wound — an injury
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bank — for money
  10. bore — to drill
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. press — a publisher
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. date — the fruit
  15. bank — of a river
  16. press — newspapers
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. wound — an injury
  19. bank — for money
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. bowl — to roll

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