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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. branch — a division
  4. press — newspapers
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. pitch — completely
  7. fall — the season
  8. mark — a grade
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. stem — to come from
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. fine — all right
  15. fall — to drop
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. fine — high quality
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. press — a publisher
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. mark — a trace
  22. press — to push
  23. fall — to drop
  24. fan — a supporter

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