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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: press · file · can · face · calf · jam · bank · court

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. court — of a king
  3. press — to push
  4. press — newspapers
  5. can — to be able to
  6. face — to confront
  7. can — a tin
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. can — a tin
  10. file — a document
  11. court — for sport
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. court — of law
  14. face — to point toward
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bank — for money
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. face — part of the head
  20. bank — for money
  21. file — a line of people
  22. file — a tool
  23. press — a publisher
  24. bank — of a river

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