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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. press — a publisher
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. chest — a box
  7. press — newspapers
  8. plane — a tool
  9. present — the time now
  10. spell — magic
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. present — a gift
  14. present — there
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. chest — of your body
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. spell — a short time
  21. spell — letters
  22. branch — a division
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. chest — of your body

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