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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
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: dip · bank · coach · arm · mine · cold · wax · press

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. press — newspapers
  3. mine — for digging
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. dip — to sink
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. press — a publisher
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — of a river
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. cold — not warm
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. bank — for money
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. cold — an illness
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. press — to push
  24. wax — to grow

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