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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: rash · band · branch · hide · wind · press · firm · staff

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. firm — decided
  3. band — a music group
  4. press — to push
  5. staff — employees
  6. rash — a series
  7. wind — moving air
  8. firm — a company
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. wind — moving air
  11. band — a ring
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. press — a publisher
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. press — newspapers
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. staff — employees
  21. firm — steady
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. staff — a stick
  24. branch — a division

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