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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. press — a publisher
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. land — a country
  7. chair — a leader
  8. land — to come down
  9. charge — in control
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. charge — a price
  12. vault — a safe
  13. land — ground
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. content — the amount
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. charge — electricity
  19. branch — a division
  20. press — to push
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. content — happy
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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