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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: bank · suit · hide · straw · branch · press · board · jam

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. board — to get on
  5. suit — in cards
  6. board — a committee
  7. press — newspapers
  8. suit — to fit
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. press — to push
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. bank — for money
  14. branch — a division
  15. suit — clothes
  16. bank — of a river
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. press — a publisher
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bank — for money
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. branch — of a bank

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