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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. pass — a permit
  4. press — a publisher
  5. suit — to fit
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. cap — of ice
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. cap — a lid
  10. press — to push
  11. fall — the season
  12. content — happy
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. suit — in cards
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. press — newspapers
  19. cap — a hat
  20. fall — to drop
  21. branch — a division
  22. suit — clothes
  23. fall — to drop
  24. hide — to keep secret

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