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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. saw — the tool
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. press — to push
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. wax — to grow
  7. branch — a division
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. squash — the sport
  10. spell — letters
  11. saw — the tool
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. squash — to crush
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. press — a publisher
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. press — newspapers
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. spell — magic
  24. spell — a short time

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