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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: tube · nail · stand · press · firm · bay · stick · branch

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. branch — a division
  3. firm — a company
  4. press — a publisher
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. firm — decided
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. tube — the underground
  10. firm — steady
  11. stand — to bear
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. press — to push
  14. press — newspapers
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. tube — a container
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. branch — of a bank

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