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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. face — to confront
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. press — to push
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. face — part of the head
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. press — newspapers
  16. rush — hurry
  17. snap — to click
  18. press — a publisher
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. face — to point toward
  24. branch — a division

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