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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: present · wind · rock · straw · spell · pass · sharp · branch

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. present — the time now
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. branch — a division
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. present — there
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. wind — moving air
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. wind — moving air
  15. rock — music
  16. present — a gift
  17. rock — a stone
  18. spell — a short time
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. sharp — clever
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. pass — a permit
  23. spell — magic
  24. spell — letters

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