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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. press — newspapers
  3. swing — to play on
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. root — the cause
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. pit — a hole
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. branch — a division
  11. pit — in a race
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. drill — army training
  14. stand — to bear
  15. drill — the tool
  16. press — a publisher
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. sharp — clever
  19. swing — music
  20. root — of a word
  21. drill — a practice
  22. swing — in golf
  23. root — of a plant
  24. press — to push

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