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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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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: bore · foot · bank · cell · press · chip · row · racket

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. press — a publisher
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. press — newspapers
  7. chip — to eat
  8. foot — a measure
  9. press — to push
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. cell — in biology
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. bore — to tire
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bank — for money
  17. cell — a phone
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. bore — to drill
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. chip — for betting
  22. row — a line
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. row — to paddle

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