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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. clip — to cut
  3. object — a thing
  4. clip — a video
  5. object — to protest
  6. mate — a partner
  7. suit — in cards
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. press — to push
  10. press — newspapers
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. mate — to breed
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. clip — for paper
  15. branch — a division
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. object — an aim
  18. suit — clothes
  19. bark — to shout
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. press — a publisher
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. mate — a friend

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