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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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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. rock — music
  5. pass — a permit
  6. branch — a division
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. clip — a video
  10. rush — hurry
  11. rock — a stone
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. can — a tin
  15. clip — to cut
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. can — a tin
  18. clip — for paper
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. can — to be able to
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. rush — to hurry

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