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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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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: bound · land · press · mug · branch · bowl · tear · firm

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. branch — a division
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. land — ground
  5. tear — to rip
  6. firm — decided
  7. press — to push
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. press — a publisher
  10. mug — to rob
  11. firm — a company
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. firm — steady
  14. land — a country
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bound — certain
  19. mug — a face
  20. land — to come down
  21. tear — from crying
  22. bound — obliged
  23. tear — from crying
  24. mug — a cup

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