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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 120 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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. march — music
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. press — to push
  5. cap — a hat
  6. cap — a lid
  7. cell — in biology
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. press — a publisher
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. plane — a tool
  15. press — newspapers
  16. branch — a division
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. cap — of ice
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. cell — a phone
  21. march — the month
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. march — the month
  24. bark — to shout

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