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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  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 — newspapers
  2. race — humankind
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. race — a contest
  5. track — to keep track
  6. press — to push
  7. bat — the animal
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. track — a path
  10. last — finally
  11. last — final
  12. race — the arms race
  13. press — a publisher
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. track — a song
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. last — to go on
  23. leaves — to go away
  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