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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. bore — to tire
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. bank — of a river
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. branch — a division
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. press — to push
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. bank — for money
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. cap — a hat
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bank — for money
  19. cap — of ice
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. press — newspapers
  22. bore — to drill
  23. press — a publisher
  24. bore — gave birth

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