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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: firm · branch · press · band · rest · prune · file · leaves

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. file — a line of people
  3. rest — a break
  4. branch — a division
  5. prune — to trim
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. file — a document
  8. prune — to trim
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. press — to push
  12. firm — steady
  13. firm — a company
  14. band — a music group
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. file — a tool
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. press — a publisher
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — what's left
  21. firm — decided
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. band — a ring
  24. leaves — lets stay

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