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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. mug — a face
  3. pitch — completely
  4. wind — moving air
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. branch — a division
  7. suit — to fit
  8. wind — moving air
  9. press — newspapers
  10. craft — boats
  11. mug — to rob
  12. press — a publisher
  13. suit — clothes
  14. suit — in cards
  15. press — to push
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. board — a committee
  19. craft — a skill
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. mug — a cup
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. board — to get on
  24. craft — a handicraft

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