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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. firm — a company
  4. row — to paddle
  5. row — a line
  6. press — to push
  7. capital — a city
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. capital — money
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. firm — decided
  13. press — newspapers
  14. press — a publisher
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. toast — bread
  17. firm — steady
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. branch — a division
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. temple — a place of worship

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