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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 120 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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. bank — for money
  3. drill — the tool
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. press — newspapers
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. season — of the year
  9. season — in sport
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. capital — money
  12. drill — a practice
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. capital — a city
  15. board — a committee
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. press — to push
  18. drill — army training
  19. bank — for money
  20. bank — of a river
  21. board — to get on
  22. hand — help
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. hand — in cards

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