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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 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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. root — of a word
  3. fine — all right
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. press — a publisher
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. press — newspapers
  8. branch — a division
  9. fine — high quality
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. root — of a plant
  13. rule — government
  14. bound — certain
  15. press — to push
  16. bass — the fish
  17. root — the cause
  18. bound — tied together
  19. bass — low music
  20. rule — a law
  21. bound — obliged
  22. rush — hurry
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. rush — to hurry

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