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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 120 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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. press — a publisher
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. staff — employees
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. staff — employees
  8. current — electric
  9. pit — a hole
  10. current — of water
  11. mark — a trace
  12. bore — to drill
  13. spell — a short time
  14. staff — a stick
  15. press — newspapers
  16. spell — letters
  17. mark — a grade
  18. branch — a division
  19. bore — to tire
  20. spell — magic
  21. press — to push
  22. current — happening now
  23. pit — in a race
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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