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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.

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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. firm — a company
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. march — music
  5. bound — tied together
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. firm — decided
  9. saw — the tool
  10. march — the month
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. saw — the tool
  13. stem — to come from
  14. press — a publisher
  15. press — to push
  16. firm — steady
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. bound — obliged
  20. press — newspapers
  21. branch — a division
  22. bound — certain
  23. lie — to recline
  24. march — the month

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