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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 president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. branch — a division
  3. spell — a short time
  4. press — newspapers
  5. press — a publisher
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. can — a tin
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. press — to push
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. spell — letters
  13. can — a tin
  14. current — happening now
  15. stock — shares
  16. current — of water
  17. squash — the sport
  18. spell — magic
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. stock — goods
  21. can — to be able to
  22. current — electric
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. stock — a soup base

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