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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 124 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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. march — the month
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. press — newspapers
  7. march — the month
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. cap — a lid
  11. kid — to tease
  12. press — to push
  13. track — a path
  14. march — music
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. branch — a division
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. kid — child
  19. track — a song
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. cap — of ice
  22. track — to keep track
  23. cap — a hat
  24. press — a publisher

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