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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 · mark · date · roll · calf · march · rule · branch

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. roll — a list
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. rule — a law
  6. branch — a division
  7. mark — a grade
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. roll — a cake
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. date — the fruit
  16. mark — a trace
  17. rule — government
  18. march — the month
  19. pass — a permit
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. march — the month
  23. march — music
  24. rule — to rule out

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