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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  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. chest — of your body
  2. chest — of your body
  3. press — to push
  4. bank — for money
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. bank — for money
  9. bear — the animal
  10. press — newspapers
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. press — a publisher
  15. fall — the season
  16. mark — a trace
  17. plane — a tool
  18. chest — a box
  19. fall — to drop
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bear — the animal
  22. mark — a grade
  23. fall — to drop
  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