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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. press — a publisher
  3. branch — a division
  4. press — to push
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. mark — a trace
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. sharp — clever
  16. kick — in football
  17. mark — a grade
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. mate — a partner
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. mate — a friend
  23. mate — to breed
  24. dip — to sink

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