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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. shower — rain
  3. kid — child
  4. can — a tin
  5. rest — a break
  6. rest — what's left
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. squash — to crush
  9. press — to push
  10. can — a tin
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. squash — the sport
  13. can — to be able to
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. shower — to wash
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. rest — what's left
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. branch — a division
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. press — newspapers
  22. press — a publisher
  23. kid — to tease
  24. branch — of a bank

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