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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.

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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: saw · lie · press · club · bank · can · degree · kid

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. can — a tin
  4. bank — of a river
  5. lie — to recline
  6. press — newspapers
  7. bank — for money
  8. kid — child
  9. saw — the tool
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. press — a publisher
  12. kid — to tease
  13. can — a tin
  14. degree — an amount
  15. bank — for money
  16. degree — temperature
  17. club — a group
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. can — to be able to
  20. degree — from a university
  21. press — to push
  22. club — for dancing
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. club — for golf

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