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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: mate · rash · mouse · branch · press · saw · cap · toast

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. rash — a series
  3. mate — a partner
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. mate — to breed
  7. branch — a division
  8. cap — a hat
  9. press — newspapers
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. press — a publisher
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. press — to push
  15. rash — hasty
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. toast — bread
  21. mate — a friend
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. cap — of ice

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