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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: press · bear · kid · perch · fine · march · face · branch

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. kid — to tease
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. march — music
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. face — to confront
  7. press — newspapers
  8. press — a publisher
  9. fine — high quality
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. march — the month
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. perch — the fish
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. fine — all right
  17. bear — the animal
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. kid — child
  20. branch — a division
  21. face — to point toward
  22. march — the month
  23. bear — the animal
  24. press — to push

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