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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. press — to push
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. tube — the underground
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. press — a publisher
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. plane — a tool
  12. cap — a lid
  13. branch — a division
  14. press — newspapers
  15. cap — of ice
  16. rash — hasty
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. perch — the fish
  19. rash — a series
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. tube — a container
  23. cap — a hat
  24. rash — on the skin

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