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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 116 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: net · rest · branch · staff · content · fine · lean · pass

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. lean — thin
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. pass — a permit
  5. branch — a division
  6. staff — employees
  7. net — in sport
  8. fine — all right
  9. net — for catching
  10. content — happy
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. staff — employees
  13. content — the amount
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — a break
  16. staff — a stick
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. fine — high quality
  19. net — after costs
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. lean — to bend

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