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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
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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: temple · calf · bark · object · branch · press · cap · saw

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. object — to protest
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. cap — of ice
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. bark — to shout
  9. saw — the tool
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. saw — the tool
  12. branch — a division
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. object — an aim
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. cap — a lid
  18. cap — a hat
  19. press — to push
  20. object — a thing
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. press — newspapers

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