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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 beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. press — newspapers
  4. capital — a city
  5. branch — a division
  6. present — the time now
  7. dip — to sink
  8. capital — money
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. kick — in football
  12. press — a publisher
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. press — to push
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. stem — to come from
  19. present — a gift
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. lie — to recline
  22. present — there
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. kick — a thrill

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