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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: foot · saw · branch · press · fine · firm · pit · club

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. firm — steady
  3. press — a publisher
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. club — for dancing
  7. foot — a measure
  8. saw — the tool
  9. fine — all right
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. fine — high quality
  13. press — newspapers
  14. pit — in a race
  15. firm — a company
  16. saw — the tool
  17. press — to push
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. branch — a division
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. pit — a hole
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. club — for golf
  24. club — a group

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