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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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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: branch · temple · press · calf · bore · saw · scale · cap

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. bore — to drill
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. cap — a lid
  7. saw — the tool
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. cap — of ice
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. saw — the tool
  15. press — a publisher
  16. scale — in music
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. press — newspapers
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. branch — a division
  22. scale — size or range
  23. cap — a hat
  24. bore — to tire

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