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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: press · sharp · bound · bank · date · nail · spell · mine

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. date — the fruit
  3. press — newspapers
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bound — obliged
  6. press — to push
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. bound — certain
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — for money
  14. spell — letters
  15. mine — for digging
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. spell — magic
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. press — a publisher
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bound — tied together
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. spell — a short time

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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