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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. press — a publisher
  4. drill — the tool
  5. charge — electricity
  6. rest — what's left
  7. drill — a practice
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. press — to push
  10. bank — for money
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. drill — army training
  13. bank — of a river
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. rest — a break
  16. rest — what's left
  17. board — to get on
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. press — newspapers
  20. board — a committee
  21. charge — in control
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. charge — a price
  24. nail — for a hammer

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