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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: file · net · staff · press · swing · branch · tube · last

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. file — a line of people
  3. press — to push
  4. net — in sport
  5. tube — the underground
  6. net — for catching
  7. press — newspapers
  8. last — finally
  9. last — final
  10. net — after costs
  11. swing — to play on
  12. staff — employees
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. swing — in golf
  15. file — a document
  16. tube — a container
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. staff — a stick
  19. staff — employees
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. swing — music
  22. file — a tool
  23. branch — a division
  24. last — to go on

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