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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: clip · bank · mouse · hide · charge · game · press · bark

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. press — newspapers
  5. press — to push
  6. charge — in control
  7. game — wild animals
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. clip — for paper
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. charge — a price
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. charge — electricity
  14. press — a publisher
  15. game — a match
  16. bank — for money
  17. bark — to shout
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. clip — a video
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. bank — of a river
  23. clip — to cut
  24. bark — of a tree

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