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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.

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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: dip · bank · press · fall · pound · land · last · bore

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. bore — to drill
  3. fall — the season
  4. press — newspapers
  5. last — to go on
  6. pound — a weight
  7. last — final
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bank — for money
  11. land — a country
  12. fall — to drop
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. fall — to drop
  15. bank — for money
  16. land — ground
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. land — to come down
  19. last — finally
  20. press — a publisher
  21. dip — to sink
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. pound — for dogs

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