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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 120 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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. press — newspapers
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. fine — all right
  5. branch — a division
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. content — happy
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. current — happening now
  10. press — a publisher
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. current — of water
  13. drill — a practice
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. saw — the tool
  16. fine — high quality
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. press — to push
  19. current — electric
  20. drill — army training
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. drill — the tool
  23. content — the amount
  24. fine — a penalty

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