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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. staff — a stick
  3. craft — a skill
  4. cap — a hat
  5. pass — a permit
  6. staff — employees
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. craft — boats
  10. pop — music
  11. branch — a division
  12. cap — of ice
  13. pop — to visit
  14. pop — soda
  15. cap — a lid
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. staff — employees

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