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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: lie · bank · swing · craft · field · roll · bark · press

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. press — a publisher
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. craft — a skill
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. swing — music
  8. bank — for money
  9. press — newspapers
  10. lie — to recline
  11. roll — a cake
  12. craft — boats
  13. press — to push
  14. field — a subject
  15. swing — to play on
  16. field — for sport
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. bark — to shout
  19. roll — a list
  20. swing — in golf
  21. bank — of a river
  22. field — farmland
  23. bank — for money
  24. roll — on a roll

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