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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 120 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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. press — a publisher
  3. root — the cause
  4. pound — a weight
  5. chip — to eat
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. march — music
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. branch — a division
  12. press — newspapers
  13. march — the month
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. root — of a word
  16. chip — for betting
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. pass — a permit
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. root — of a plant
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. press — to push

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