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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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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: press · trunk · rule · bank · cell · stock · safe · deal

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. bank — of a river
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. press — a publisher
  8. press — to push
  9. deal — to handle
  10. cell — a phone
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. press — newspapers
  13. cell — in biology
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. rule — a law
  16. stock — shares
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. stock — goods
  21. bank — for money
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bank — for money
  24. rule — government

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