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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. row — a line
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. staff — employees
  6. press — newspapers
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. staff — a stick
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. staff — employees
  11. wax — to grow
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. press — to push
  16. press — a publisher
  17. pit — a hole
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. row — to paddle
  20. pit — in a race
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. snap — to click
  24. coach — a trainer

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