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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: key · leaves · bank · rock · trunk · fall · press · stock

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. rock — a stone
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. fall — to drop
  7. stock — shares
  8. key — the most important part
  9. stock — goods
  10. key — for a lock
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. fall — to drop
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. bank — of a river
  16. fall — the season
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. press — a publisher
  20. press — newspapers
  21. key — in music
  22. press — to push
  23. rock — music
  24. bank — for money

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