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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. board — a committee
  4. branch — a division
  5. pound — a weight
  6. board — to get on
  7. press — to push
  8. cue — a signal
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. bark — to shout
  13. pit — a hole
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. rock — music
  16. pit — in a race
  17. rock — a stone
  18. cue — for pool
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. press — newspapers
  22. press — a publisher
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. cue — a hint

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