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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: press · march · date · mark · bank · bark · chip · vault

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. chip — to eat
  3. press — a publisher
  4. bank — for money
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. press — to push
  7. press — newspapers
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. date — the fruit
  10. mark — a grade
  11. bank — of a river
  12. march — the month
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. march — music
  16. bank — for money
  17. bark — to shout
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. mark — a trace
  20. chip — for betting
  21. vault — a safe
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. bark — of a tree

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