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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 120 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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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 · bay · chair · board · pass · branch · mark · club

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. branch — a division
  3. club — a group
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. board — a committee
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. chair — a leader
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. press — to push
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. mark — a grade
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. club — for golf
  16. pass — a permit
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. club — for dancing
  20. press — a publisher
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. press — newspapers
  24. board — to get 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