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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. wind — moving air
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. branch — a division
  6. press — to push
  7. race — humankind
  8. mug — a face
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. mug — a cup
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. press — newspapers
  16. wind — moving air
  17. snap — to click
  18. wax — to grow
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. mug — to rob
  21. press — a publisher
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. race — the arms race

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