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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: dip · ruler · cap · face · branch · calf · stock · press

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. face — to point toward
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. stock — shares
  7. cap — of ice
  8. face — part of the head
  9. press — a publisher
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. dip — to sink
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. face — to confront
  14. press — to push
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. stock — goods
  19. press — newspapers
  20. branch — a division
  21. cap — a hat
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. dip — a sauce

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