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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: press · ball · mug · deal · stem · branch · track · band

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. ball — a great time
  3. press — to push
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. deal — to handle
  6. press — newspapers
  7. track — to keep track
  8. track — a song
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. mug — a face
  12. ball — a dance
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. mug — to rob
  17. band — a music group
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. band — a ring
  21. branch — a division
  22. mug — a cup
  23. track — a path
  24. stem — to come from

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