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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.

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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: object · press · trunk · craft · nail · branch · firm · bulb

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. object — to protest
  3. branch — a division
  4. firm — a company
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. firm — steady
  8. firm — decided
  9. craft — boats
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. object — a thing
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. bulb — for light
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bulb — for light
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. press — a publisher
  21. object — an aim
  22. press — newspapers
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. press — to push

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