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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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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: press · foot · band · bank · rest · bay · charge · dip

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. rest — a break
  4. foot — a measure
  5. press — newspapers
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. bank — for money
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. charge — in control
  11. charge — a price
  12. dip — to sink
  13. charge — electricity
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bank — for money
  16. press — to push
  17. band — a music group
  18. rest — what's left
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. bank — of a river
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. band — a ring
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. rest — what's left

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