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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. wake — a trail
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. press — newspapers
  8. press — to push
  9. deal — to handle
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. bank — for money
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. chair — a leader
  16. race — humankind
  17. race — the arms race
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. bank — for money
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. press — a publisher
  24. race — a contest

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