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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: fall · racket · squash · bore · mug · land · press · bank

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. bore — to drill
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. squash — the sport
  5. land — ground
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. mug — a face
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. squash — to crush
  10. fall — to drop
  11. land — a country
  12. fall — the season
  13. mug — a cup
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. press — to push
  16. press — a publisher
  17. land — to come down
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bank — for money
  20. press — newspapers
  21. bank — of a river
  22. fall — to drop
  23. bore — to tire
  24. bank — for money

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