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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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. press — newspapers
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. rush — hurry
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. rock — a stone
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. board — to get on
  10. plane — a tool
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. press — a publisher
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. branch — a division
  17. press — to push
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. board — a committee
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. date — the fruit
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. rock — music

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