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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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. dip — to sink
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. fork — in a road
  7. press — to push
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. clip — a video
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. pit — a hole
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. press — a publisher
  14. press — newspapers
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. pit — in a race
  19. clip — to cut
  20. branch — a division
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. pitcher — a jug

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