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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: pop · straw · pit · bank · can · press · wake · pass

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. pit — a hole
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. bank — for money
  7. pass — a permit
  8. press — to push
  9. bank — for money
  10. wake — a trail
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. press — a publisher
  13. press — newspapers
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. pop — music
  18. can — to be able to
  19. bank — of a river
  20. pit — in a race
  21. pop — soda
  22. can — a tin
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. pop — to visit

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