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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. bank — for money
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. spell — magic
  6. press — to push
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. march — the month
  9. bank — for money
  10. march — the month
  11. board — to get on
  12. press — a publisher
  13. bank — of a river
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. snap — to click
  16. cell — a phone
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. spell — letters
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. cell — in biology
  22. spell — a short time
  23. board — a committee
  24. march — music

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