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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rest · branch · wake · pass · club · plane · cabinet · can

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. club — a group
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. can — to be able to
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. wake — a trail
  9. rest — a break
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. branch — a division
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. plane — a tool
  17. rest — what's left
  18. club — for dancing
  19. can — a tin
  20. rest — what's left
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. club — for golf
  23. can — a tin
  24. pass — a permit

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