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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. firm — decided
  3. press — a publisher
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. face — to confront
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. firm — a company
  13. press — to push
  14. face — to point toward
  15. press — newspapers
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bass — low music
  18. saw — the tool
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. bass — the fish
  22. saw — the tool
  23. face — part of the head
  24. firm — steady

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