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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: mark · plane · toast · wake · cap · press · branch · staff

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. cap — a lid
  3. mark — a grade
  4. plane — a tool
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. mark — a trace
  9. staff — a stick
  10. press — newspapers
  11. cap — a hat
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. cap — of ice
  14. branch — a division
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. wake — a trail
  17. staff — employees
  18. toast — bread
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. staff — employees
  23. press — to push
  24. press — a publisher

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