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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: hide · temple · coach · press · current · branch · bear · clip

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. current — happening now
  3. clip — to cut
  4. clip — for paper
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. press — to push
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. current — of water
  10. branch — a division
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. bear — the animal
  13. press — newspapers
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. bear — the animal
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. press — a publisher
  22. current — electric
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. clip — a video

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