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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: scale · stick · roll · shower · bay · bear · press · branch

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. roll — a list
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. scale — size or range
  5. roll — a cake
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. press — a publisher
  9. press — to push
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. bear — the animal
  13. shower — to wash
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. scale — in music
  16. press — newspapers
  17. shower — rain
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. bear — the animal
  21. branch — a division
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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