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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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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 works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. press — newspapers
  5. dip — to sink
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. branch — a division
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. press — a publisher
  12. saw — the tool
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. pound — a weight
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. press — to push
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. branch — of a tree

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