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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: bore · press · fan · bank · kick · rock · land · wound

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. wound — an injury
  4. land — a country
  5. rock — music
  6. press — newspapers
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. rock — a stone
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. kick — in football
  12. wound — an injury
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. bank — for money
  15. press — to push
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bore — to drill
  18. land — to come down
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. land — ground
  22. bore — to tire
  23. bank — for money
  24. kick — a thrill

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