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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. wound — an injury
  3. spring — of water
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. press — newspapers
  6. bound — certain
  7. wax — to grow
  8. press — a publisher
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. spring — the season
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — employees
  13. wound — an injury
  14. bound — tied together
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. branch — a division
  18. press — to push
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. bound — obliged
  23. staff — a stick
  24. spring — a coil

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