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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.

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: row · fan · hide · press · bank · wound · present · dip

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. press — to push
  3. wound — an injury
  4. present — there
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. present — a gift
  9. dip — to sink
  10. row — a line
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. row — to paddle
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. press — a publisher
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. present — the time now
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. wound — an injury
  21. bank — for money
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bank — of a river
  24. press — newspapers

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