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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. bass — the fish
  3. track — a path
  4. press — a publisher
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. track — to keep track
  8. bass — low music
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. press — to push
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. branch — a division
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. perch — the fish
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. cell — in biology
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. cell — a phone
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. track — a song

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