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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.

Make a worksheet

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: arm · press · branch · object · ground · mug · present · lash

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. object — an aim
  3. present — there
  4. press — newspapers
  5. press — to push
  6. object — a thing
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. ground — a position
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. mug — to rob
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. present — the time now
  14. object — to protest
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. present — a gift
  18. ground — the earth
  19. mug — a face
  20. ground — crushed
  21. mug — a cup
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. press — a publisher
  24. branch — a division

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