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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. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. court — for sport
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. press — a publisher
  5. branch — a division
  6. rule — government
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. stand — to bear
  9. press — newspapers
  10. press — to push
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. rule — a law
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. mug — a face
  15. lie — to recline
  16. mug — a cup
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. court — of a king
  19. mug — to rob
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. tube — a container
  22. tube — the underground
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. court — of law

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