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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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. press — a publisher
  3. fall — the season
  4. wind — moving air
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. suit — in cards
  7. press — newspapers
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. mate — a partner
  10. bank — of a river
  11. mate — to breed
  12. press — to push
  13. fall — to drop
  14. wind — moving air
  15. bank — for money
  16. mate — a friend
  17. fall — to drop
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. suit — to fit
  20. chair — a leader
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. suit — clothes
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. bank — for money

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