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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'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. press — a publisher
  4. branch — a division
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. land — a country
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. land — to come down
  9. present — a gift
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. present — there
  12. prune — to trim
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. present — the time now
  15. press — newspapers
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. press — to push
  20. lie — to recline
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. prune — to trim
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. calf — a young animal

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