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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. rock — music
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. press — a publisher
  6. hand — help
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. hand — in cards
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. firm — decided
  12. branch — a division
  13. press — to push
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. press — newspapers
  16. staff — employees
  17. staff — a stick
  18. firm — a company
  19. rock — a stone
  20. wax — to grow
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. firm — steady
  23. staff — employees
  24. trunk — of a car

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