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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. pop — to visit
  4. craft — boats
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. branch — a division
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. press — a publisher
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. press — to push
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. press — newspapers
  19. craft — a skill
  20. wake — a trail
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. pop — music
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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