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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. press — to push
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. bark — to shout
  6. rash — a series
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. press — newspapers
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. cap — a hat
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. press — a publisher
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. branch — a division
  16. cap — a lid
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. rash — hasty
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. cap — of ice
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. foot — a measure

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