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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 120 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: dip · pass · spring · cabinet · press · plane · stand · branch

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. branch — a division
  3. spring — of water
  4. spring — the season
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pass — a permit
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. press — to push
  12. plane — a tool
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. press — a publisher
  17. press — newspapers
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. stand — to bear
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. dip — to sink
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. spring — a coil

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