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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. bound — tied together
  4. press — to push
  5. perch — the fish
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. object — an aim
  10. branch — a division
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. press — newspapers
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. bound — certain
  20. object — a thing
  21. object — to protest
  22. lie — to recline
  23. kick — in football
  24. bound — obliged

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