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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — of a river
  4. board — a committee
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. press — a publisher
  7. track — to keep track
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. track — a song
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. track — a path
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. press — newspapers
  19. drill — the tool
  20. board — to get on
  21. drill — a practice
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. drill — army training
  24. press — to push

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