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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.

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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: bank · game · press · pound · temple · can · pitcher · mug

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bank — for money
  4. press — a publisher
  5. press — to push
  6. pound — a weight
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. can — a tin
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. game — a match
  13. can — to be able to
  14. mug — to rob
  15. game — wild animals
  16. mug — a face
  17. can — a tin
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. mug — a cup
  23. press — newspapers
  24. game — a kind of play

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