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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.

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: fine · branch · squash · kid · press · bear · current · fall

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. squash — the sport
  3. current — electric
  4. bear — the animal
  5. press — to push
  6. fall — to drop
  7. fine — high quality
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. branch — a division
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. press — newspapers
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fine — all right
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. kid — child
  18. squash — to crush
  19. kid — to tease
  20. press — a publisher
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. fall — the season
  23. current — of water
  24. current — happening now

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