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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. branch — a division
  4. press — newspapers
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. shower — rain
  7. suit — in cards
  8. press — a publisher
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. last — finally
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. present — there
  13. present — a gift
  14. suit — to fit
  15. present — the time now
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. suit — clothes
  19. last — to go on
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. press — to push
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. shower — to wash

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