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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. spell — a short time
  3. rash — a series
  4. bear — the animal
  5. press — to push
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. press — newspapers
  8. lean — to bend
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. stock — shares
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. spell — magic
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. lean — thin
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. stock — goods
  18. press — a publisher
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. rash — hasty
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. branch — a division
  23. spell — letters
  24. coach — a trainer

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