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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: deal · land · wake · toast · press · cabinet · branch · pass

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. press — a publisher
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. press — to push
  8. deal — to handle
  9. branch — a division
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. land — to come down
  14. press — newspapers
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. land — a country
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. toast — bread
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. wake — a trail

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