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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: foot · can · racket · press · season · mouse · wake · bank

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bank — of a river
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. can — to be able to
  8. bank — for money
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. press — to push
  12. wake — a trail
  13. foot — a measure
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. can — a tin
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. season — of the year
  19. season — in sport
  20. press — a publisher
  21. can — a tin
  22. bank — for money
  23. press — newspapers
  24. wake — before a funeral

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