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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. branch — a division
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. lean — thin
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. court — of law
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. snap — to click
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. press — a publisher
  13. press — newspapers
  14. key — the most important part
  15. press — to push
  16. key — for a lock
  17. court — for sport
  18. court — of a king
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. plane — a tool
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. lean — to bend

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