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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: branch · band · chair · suit · pass · plane · pit · press

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. suit — to fit
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. plane — a tool
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. band — a ring
  7. suit — clothes
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. press — a publisher
  10. pit — in a race
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. pit — a hole
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. chair — a leader
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. pass — a permit
  21. press — to push
  22. band — a music group
  23. suit — in cards
  24. press — newspapers

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