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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. lie — to recline
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. press — a publisher
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. tear — from crying
  16. tear — to rip
  17. press — to push
  18. rock — a stone
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. rock — music
  22. tear — from crying
  23. press — newspapers
  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