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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. press — a publisher
  3. rest — what's left
  4. prune — to trim
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. press — newspapers
  8. press — to push
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. face — part of the head
  13. bark — to shout
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. face — to point toward
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — a break
  19. branch — a division
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. prune — to trim
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. face — to confront

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