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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: bank · kick · court · plane · mug · can · stem · press

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  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. can — a tin
  2. press — to push
  3. stem — to come from
  4. bank — for money
  5. can — a tin
  6. kick — in football
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. bank — for money
  9. can — to be able to
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. press — a publisher
  12. court — of law
  13. mug — to rob
  14. court — for sport
  15. mug — a face
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. plane — a tool
  18. mug — a cup
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. bank — of a river
  23. court — of a king
  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