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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. rush — hurry
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. stem — to come from
  11. press — newspapers
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. season — of the year
  14. press — to push
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. branch — a division
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. press — a publisher
  20. season — in sport
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. lie — to recline

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