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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · cue · mouse · lie · stand · bark · plane · branch

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. cue — a signal
  3. branch — a division
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. cue — for pool
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. plane — a tool
  9. bark — to shout
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. press — newspapers
  12. press — to push
  13. stand — to bear
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. cue — a hint
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. lie — to recline
  21. press — a publisher
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. lie — an untruth

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