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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: trunk · arm · pass · can · dip · branch · cabinet · press

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. can — a tin
  4. press — a publisher
  5. can — a tin
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. press — newspapers
  11. press — to push
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. branch — a division
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. pass — a permit
  19. can — to be able to
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. dip — to sink

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