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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: file · branch · pass · wave · prune · press

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. press — a publisher
  5. file — a document
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — to trim
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. pass — a permit
  12. press — to push
  13. branch — a division
  14. file — a tool
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. file — a line of people
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. press — newspapers

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