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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. cue — a signal
  4. craft — boats
  5. spell — magic
  6. press — a publisher
  7. spell — letters
  8. cue — for pool
  9. land — to come down
  10. board — to get on
  11. craft — a skill
  12. land — a country
  13. press — to push
  14. land — ground
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. board — a committee
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. spell — a short time
  19. bulb — for light
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. cue — a hint
  22. press — newspapers
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. bulb — for light

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