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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  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. branch — of a tree
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. drill — a practice
  6. press — a publisher
  7. stand — to bear
  8. branch — a division
  9. drill — the tool
  10. craft — a skill
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. drill — army training
  14. saw — the tool
  15. press — newspapers
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. craft — boats
  19. press — to push
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bark — of a tree
  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