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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 124 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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. press — to push
  5. stock — shares
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. pass — a permit
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. branch — a division
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. press — a publisher
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. press — newspapers
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. stock — goods

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