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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. press — to push
  3. can — a tin
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. pit — in a race
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. suit — in cards
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. press — a publisher
  11. pit — a hole
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. can — a tin
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. can — to be able to
  18. fork — in a road
  19. press — newspapers
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. date — the fruit
  22. branch — a division
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — to fit

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