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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: pass · key · firm · cabinet · mine · march · branch · track

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. branch — a division
  4. track — a path
  5. firm — a company
  6. pass — a permit
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. key — the most important part
  9. key — for a lock
  10. march — music
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. track — a song
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. key — in music
  15. firm — decided
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. march — the month
  18. mine — for digging
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. march — the month
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. firm — steady
  23. track — to keep track
  24. branch — of a tree

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