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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 116 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: press · bank · capital · wound · hide · rock · hand · chip

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. capital — money
  4. bank — for money
  5. wound — an injury
  6. rock — music
  7. chip — for betting
  8. hand — in cards
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. chip — to eat
  12. bank — for money
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. press — newspapers
  16. rock — a stone
  17. capital — a city
  18. bank — of a river
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. wound — an injury
  21. press — to push
  22. press — a publisher
  23. hand — help
  24. hide — to keep secret

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