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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. row — to paddle
  4. can — a tin
  5. dip — to sink
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. mate — a friend
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. mate — a partner
  10. can — to be able to
  11. object — a thing
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. can — a tin
  15. mate — to breed
  16. perch — the fish
  17. object — to protest
  18. press — a publisher
  19. press — newspapers
  20. press — to push
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. row — a line
  23. object — an aim
  24. branch — of a tree

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