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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 116 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: press · fall · charge · net · nail · branch · mark · pass

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  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. net — for catching
  2. press — newspapers
  3. net — in sport
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. branch — a division
  6. fall — the season
  7. pass — a permit
  8. press — a publisher
  9. charge — a price
  10. mark — a trace
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. charge — in control
  14. net — after costs
  15. charge — electricity
  16. press — to push
  17. mark — a grade
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. fall — to drop
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. fall — to drop
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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