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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: bark · race · leaves · rule · bank · swing · press · firm

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. firm — a company
  3. press — newspapers
  4. swing — in golf
  5. bank — for money
  6. rule — a law
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. race — a contest
  9. bank — of a river
  10. swing — music
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. bank — for money
  13. firm — decided
  14. press — a publisher
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. rule — government
  19. firm — steady
  20. bark — to shout
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. race — humankind
  23. press — to push
  24. race — the arms race

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