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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. ground — the earth
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. branch — a division
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. content — the amount
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. cue — for pool
  11. can — a tin
  12. cue — a signal
  13. cue — a hint
  14. content — happy
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. press — to push
  17. ground — crushed
  18. press — a publisher
  19. can — to be able to
  20. squash — to crush
  21. ground — a position
  22. squash — the sport
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. press — newspapers

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