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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: march · can · branch · firm · staff · scale · kick · press

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. press — to push
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. press — newspapers
  5. press — a publisher
  6. march — the month
  7. staff — employees
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. scale — in music
  10. staff — a stick
  11. scale — size or range
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. march — music
  14. firm — steady
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. firm — decided
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. firm — a company
  19. can — to be able to
  20. branch — a division
  21. kick — in football
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — a tin
  24. staff — employees

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