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

Word bank: mark · wind · press · temple · straw · branch · bay · pitcher

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. press — to push
  3. press — a publisher
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. wind — moving air
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. branch — a division
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. wind — moving air
  16. mark — a grade
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. straw — a straw man

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