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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: rule · pound · net · press · branch · bowl

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. pound — a weight
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. rule — a law
  7. press — a publisher
  8. press — newspapers
  9. net — in sport
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. branch — a division
  12. net — for catching
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. press — to push
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. rule — government
  18. net — after costs

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