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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. saw — the tool
  3. branch — a division
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. object — a thing
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. file — a tool
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. present — a gift
  10. press — newspapers
  11. firm — steady
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. saw — the tool
  14. present — the time now
  15. file — a line of people
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. present — there
  18. press — a publisher
  19. object — an aim
  20. press — to push
  21. file — a document
  22. firm — a company
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. firm — decided

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