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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 120 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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. press — to push
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. clip — a video
  6. bank — for money
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. bank — for money
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. press — a publisher
  13. press — newspapers
  14. prune — to trim
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. clip — to cut
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. clip — for paper
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. prune — to trim
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — for measuring

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