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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. race — humankind
  4. race — a contest
  5. mug — a cup
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. race — the arms race
  8. press — a publisher
  9. rash — hasty
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. mug — a face
  12. kick — in football
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. press — to push
  16. press — newspapers
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. bank — for money
  20. bank — of a river
  21. mug — to rob
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. bank — for money

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