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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. net — for catching
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. net — after costs
  8. season — of the year
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. press — newspapers
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. press — a publisher
  13. press — to push
  14. net — in sport
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. branch — a division
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. sharp — clever
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. season — in sport
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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