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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. rock — music
  3. stem — to come from
  4. branch — a division
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. charge — in control
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. rock — a stone
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. charge — a price
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. press — newspapers
  16. press — to push
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. charge — electricity
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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