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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. present — a gift
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. tear — from crying
  5. branch — a division
  6. press — newspapers
  7. board — a committee
  8. present — there
  9. press — a publisher
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. vault — a safe
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. rock — music
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. present — the time now
  16. tear — from crying
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. rock — a stone
  19. tear — to rip
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. press — to push
  22. board — to get on
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. temple — a place of worship

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