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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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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: fall · bay · cabinet · press · wave · nail · can · bank

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. fall — to drop
  4. can — a tin
  5. bank — for money
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. fall — to drop
  10. press — to push
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. can — to be able to
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. fall — the season
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — of a river
  20. press — newspapers
  21. can — a tin
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. cabinet — ministers

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