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

Word bank: board · pass · clip · prune · bank · bark · branch · mug

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. bank — for money
  3. mug — a cup
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. pass — a permit
  6. board — to get on
  7. bark — to shout
  8. bank — for money
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — to trim
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. bank — of a river
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. mug — a face
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. clip — a video
  17. clip — to cut
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. board — a committee
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. branch — a division
  22. clip — for paper
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. mug — to rob

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