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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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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. press — to push
  4. bank — for money
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. scale — size or range
  7. scale — in music
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. bank — of a river
  11. press — newspapers
  12. pass — a permit
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. pitch — completely
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. press — a publisher
  18. branch — a division
  19. can — to be able to
  20. can — a tin
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. can — a tin
  24. pitch — a sports field

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