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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: lean · sharp · press · can · bank · toast · date · saw

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. bank — of a river
  3. lean — thin
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. press — a publisher
  6. press — to push
  7. saw — the tool
  8. can — a tin
  9. bank — for money
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. can — to be able to
  12. can — a tin
  13. saw — the tool
  14. lean — to bend
  15. date — the fruit
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. press — newspapers
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. bank — for money
  24. toast — bread

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