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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 116 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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. branch — a division
  4. spring — the season
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. tube — a container
  7. mug — a face
  8. craft — a skill
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. mug — to rob
  11. mug — a cup
  12. tube — the underground
  13. craft — boats
  14. spring — a coil
  15. press — a publisher
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. press — to push
  18. spring — of water
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. cue — a hint
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. press — newspapers
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. cue — for pool

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