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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. bound — tied together
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. dip — to sink
  7. bound — obliged
  8. press — to push
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. press — a publisher
  13. rash — a series
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. press — newspapers
  16. rash — hasty
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. bound — certain
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. branch — a division

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