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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. bound — obliged
  3. press — newspapers
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bound — certain
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. drill — the tool
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. drill — army training
  10. bank — for money
  11. shower — rain
  12. bank — for money
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. drill — a practice
  15. net — after costs
  16. net — in sport
  17. board — a committee
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. press — to push
  20. net — for catching
  21. stem — to come from
  22. press — a publisher
  23. bound — tied together
  24. shower — to wash

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