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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: pop · key · branch · pound · rock · stick · press · club

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. pound — a weight
  4. club — a group
  5. rock — a stone
  6. press — a publisher
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. club — for golf
  9. pop — soda
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. pop — to visit
  12. club — for dancing
  13. press — newspapers
  14. rock — music
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. key — in music
  17. key — the most important part
  18. branch — a division
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. pop — music
  23. key — for a lock
  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