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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. band — a ring
  4. perch — the fish
  5. spell — letters
  6. chip — for betting
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. spell — magic
  9. press — a publisher
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. press — newspapers
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. spell — a short time
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. press — to push
  17. stand — to bear
  18. band — a music group
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. chip — to eat
  23. perch — for a bird
  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