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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: press · spell · branch · track · scale · nail · bound · hide

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. press — to push
  4. bound — certain
  5. bound — tied together
  6. branch — a division
  7. press — a publisher
  8. bound — obliged
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. track — a song
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. spell — a short time
  16. track — a path
  17. spell — letters
  18. scale — size or range
  19. press — newspapers
  20. spell — magic
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. scale — in music
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. track — to keep track

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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