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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.

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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: suit · hide · rush · press · coach · cabinet · fine · branch

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. suit — to fit
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. press — newspapers
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. fine — high quality
  10. branch — a division
  11. suit — in cards
  12. fine — all right
  13. press — a publisher
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. press — to push
  16. rush — hurry
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. rush — to hurry

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