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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 · scale · suit · press · charge · face · clip · track

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. branch — a division
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. clip — a video
  5. face — to confront
  6. clip — to cut
  7. press — newspapers
  8. face — to point toward
  9. face — part of the head
  10. suit — to fit
  11. charge — a price
  12. press — a publisher
  13. track — a path
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. clip — for paper
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. scale — in music
  18. track — a song
  19. scale — size or range
  20. press — to push
  21. charge — electricity
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — clothes
  24. charge — in control

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