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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 currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. board — a committee
  3. bank — of a river
  4. degree — temperature
  5. suit — in cards
  6. suit — clothes
  7. board — to get on
  8. fall — to drop
  9. degree — an amount
  10. press — a publisher
  11. suit — to fit
  12. wind — moving air
  13. clip — for paper
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. fall — to drop
  17. clip — a video
  18. bank — for money
  19. wind — moving air
  20. fall — the season
  21. degree — from a university
  22. bank — for money
  23. press — to push
  24. clip — to cut

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