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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 refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. press — to push
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. mug — a face
  5. swing — music
  6. mug — to rob
  7. branch — a division
  8. press — a publisher
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. mark — a trace
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. swing — to play on
  16. swing — in golf
  17. press — newspapers
  18. mark — a grade

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