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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.

Make a worksheet

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: bank · spell · mine · spring · press · stand · bay · foot

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. spell — letters
  3. bank — for money
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. mine — for digging
  6. press — newspapers
  7. spell — magic
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. bank — of a river
  11. press — a publisher
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. spring — a coil
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. press — to push
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. spring — the season
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. spell — a short time
  20. bank — for money
  21. stand — to bear
  22. spring — of water
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. mine — belonging to me

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