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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. suit — in cards
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. mark — a trace
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. branch — a division
  11. press — a publisher
  12. present — a gift
  13. press — newspapers
  14. suit — clothes
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. press — to push
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. mark — a grade
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. suit — to fit
  21. cold — not warm
  22. cold — an illness
  23. present — there
  24. mark — to pay attention

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