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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: content · bear · cap · craft · branch · press · pound · wind

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. wind — moving air
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — the animal
  7. press — to push
  8. press — a publisher
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. cap — a hat
  12. content — the amount
  13. branch — a division
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. pound — a weight
  16. craft — a skill
  17. cap — a lid
  18. content — happy
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. wind — moving air
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. cap — of ice
  24. craft — boats

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