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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. game — a match
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. press — a publisher
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. press — newspapers
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. bear — the animal
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. row — to paddle
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. row — a line
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. game — wild animals
  23. jam — a tight spot
  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