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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stand · press · branch · rash · tube · bay · straw · board

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. press — to push
  3. branch — a division
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. press — newspapers
  9. tube — a container
  10. board — a committee
  11. tube — the underground
  12. board — to get on
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. rash — hasty
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. press — a publisher
  24. stand — to bear

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