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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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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: cabinet · key · board · nail · press · saw · branch · temple

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. press — a publisher
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. saw — the tool
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. saw — the tool
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. board — to get on
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. key — for a lock
  13. press — to push
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. key — the most important part
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. board — a committee
  20. key — in music
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. press — newspapers
  23. branch — a division
  24. branch — of a tree

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