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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: cell · bank · fine · tear · pitcher · pop · chip · press

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. press — a publisher
  3. press — newspapers
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. pop — soda
  8. press — to push
  9. tear — from crying
  10. tear — to rip
  11. fine — high quality
  12. fine — all right
  13. pop — music
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. chip — to eat
  16. pop — to visit
  17. bank — of a river
  18. cell — a phone
  19. chip — for betting
  20. cell — in biology
  21. bank — for money
  22. tear — from crying
  23. bank — for money
  24. pitcher — a jug

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