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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. suit — in cards
  4. press — to push
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. suit — to fit
  7. drill — army training
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. pop — soda
  11. pop — to visit
  12. branch — a division
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. drill — the tool
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. bore — to drill
  17. pop — music
  18. press — newspapers
  19. bore — to tire
  20. suit — clothes
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. press — a publisher
  23. drill — a practice
  24. arm — a part of something

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