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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 116 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: bark · pass · stick · rush · hide · fine · branch · press

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. fine — all right
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bark — to shout
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. press — a publisher
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. fine — high quality
  12. press — to push
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. pass — a permit
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. rush — hurry
  21. branch — a division
  22. press — newspapers
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. branch — of a bank

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