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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. mark — a trace
  4. spell — magic
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. wound — an injury
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. wound — an injury
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. press — to push
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. press — a publisher
  18. branch — a division
  19. mark — a grade
  20. kick — in football
  21. spell — a short time
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. spell — letters

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