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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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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: stand · can · plane · last · tear · press · branch · pass

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. last — to go on
  3. last — finally
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. can — a tin
  6. tear — from crying
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. can — to be able to
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. press — newspapers
  12. pass — a permit
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. stand — to bear
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. can — a tin
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. tear — to rip
  19. tear — from crying
  20. press — to push
  21. branch — a division
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. last — final
  24. press — a publisher

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