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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
468
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: perch · press · fork · mug · rock · bank · can · cap

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. fork — in a road
  3. can — a tin
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. press — to push
  6. press — a publisher
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bank — of a river
  9. can — to be able to
  10. mug — to rob
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. mug — a face
  13. cap — a lid
  14. mug — a cup
  15. press — newspapers
  16. bank — for money
  17. rock — music
  18. cap — of ice
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. cap — a hat
  21. can — a tin
  22. rock — a stone
  23. perch — the fish
  24. perch — for a bird

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