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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: lean · bark · jam · branch · can · press · drill · file

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. drill — army training
  3. bark — to shout
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. can — to be able to
  6. can — a tin
  7. drill — the tool
  8. file — a line of people
  9. can — a tin
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. press — newspapers
  13. branch — a division
  14. file — a document
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. press — a publisher
  17. drill — a practice
  18. file — a tool
  19. press — to push
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. lean — to bend
  23. lean — thin
  24. branch — of a bank

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