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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: march · press · last · spell · net · cell · pop · bank

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. press — newspapers
  4. spell — magic
  5. pop — soda
  6. net — in sport
  7. last — to go on
  8. cell — in biology
  9. bank — for money
  10. press — to push
  11. last — finally
  12. last — final
  13. bank — for money
  14. press — a publisher
  15. spell — a short time
  16. march — music
  17. spell — letters
  18. pop — music
  19. cell — a phone
  20. net — for catching
  21. march — the month
  22. pop — to visit
  23. bank — of a river
  24. net — after costs

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