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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. clip — a video
  3. squash — to crush
  4. squash — the sport
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. bass — low music
  8. clip — for paper
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. press — a publisher
  11. press — newspapers
  12. bass — the fish
  13. craft — a skill
  14. branch — a division
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. clip — to cut
  17. craft — boats
  18. press — to push

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