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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 120 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: firm · branch · clip · spell · racket · arm · mouse · press

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. spell — magic
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. clip — for paper
  5. firm — steady
  6. branch — a division
  7. spell — a short time
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. clip — to cut
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. press — to push
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. firm — decided
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. clip — a video
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. press — newspapers
  23. spell — letters
  24. firm — a company

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