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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
468
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: squash · branch · ball · craft · press · arm · tear · pop

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. pop — to visit
  5. press — newspapers
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. branch — a division
  8. tear — from crying
  9. squash — the sport
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. pop — music
  12. craft — boats
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. ball — a dance
  15. tear — to rip
  16. tear — from crying
  17. craft — a skill
  18. pop — soda
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. press — to push
  21. ball — a great time
  22. squash — to crush
  23. press — a publisher
  24. arm — part of the body

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