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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 116 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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. bank — of a river
  4. rash — a series
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. firm — decided
  7. board — a committee
  8. bulb — for light
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. pound — a weight
  11. firm — steady
  12. bank — for money
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. firm — a company
  15. board — to get on
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. press — newspapers
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. rash — hasty
  20. bank — for money
  21. press — to push
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bulb — for light

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