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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. suit — clothes
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. press — to push
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. race — humankind
  7. present — a gift
  8. present — the time now
  9. present — there
  10. press — a publisher
  11. suit — in cards
  12. spell — a short time
  13. band — a music group
  14. lean — thin
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. lean — to bend
  17. suit — to fit
  18. spell — magic
  19. race — a contest
  20. press — newspapers
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. band — a ring
  23. branch — a division
  24. spell — letters

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