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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 124 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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. bound — certain
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. press — a publisher
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. object — an aim
  9. bound — tied together
  10. object — to protest
  11. press — newspapers
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. firm — a company
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. pound — a weight
  17. object — a thing
  18. chair — a leader
  19. firm — steady
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. bound — obliged
  22. press — to push
  23. firm — decided
  24. snap — to click

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