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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. kick — in football
  3. press — a publisher
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. spell — magic
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. lie — to recline
  10. press — newspapers
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. spell — a short time
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. press — to push
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. branch — a division
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. toast — bread
  24. leaves — lets stay

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