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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: key · bound · tear · press · march · rest · bank · staff

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. bank — of a river
  3. rest — what's left
  4. press — to push
  5. tear — to rip
  6. staff — employees
  7. press — a publisher
  8. key — for a lock
  9. tear — from crying
  10. key — in music
  11. bound — obliged
  12. staff — a stick
  13. staff — employees
  14. rest — a break
  15. march — music
  16. tear — from crying
  17. march — the month
  18. bank — for money
  19. bound — certain
  20. bank — for money
  21. key — the most important part
  22. march — the month
  23. bound — tied together
  24. rest — what's left

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