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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 120 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: charge · pass · branch · mark · craft · bay · press · wake

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. pass — a permit
  5. branch — a division
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. craft — boats
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. mark — a trace
  15. mark — a grade
  16. wake — a trail
  17. charge — a price
  18. charge — electricity
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. press — a publisher
  21. press — newspapers
  22. craft — a skill
  23. press — to push
  24. charge — in control

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