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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: press · rule · hide · branch · pitch · coach

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. press — newspapers
  4. rule — government
  5. press — a publisher
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. rule — a law
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. pitch — completely
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. press — to push
  18. branch — a division

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