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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: spring · safe · press · last · coach · row · board · branch

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. spring — of water
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. row — to paddle
  5. row — a line
  6. press — to push
  7. press — newspapers
  8. last — finally
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. board — a committee
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. branch — a division
  14. last — final
  15. spring — the season
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. last — to go on
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. board — to get on
  22. spring — a coil
  23. press — a publisher
  24. safe — a strongbox

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