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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 · cabinet · branch · spell · pit · ball · present · season

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. present — a gift
  3. spell — letters
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. spell — magic
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. present — there
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. ball — a dance
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. season — of the year
  14. pit — a hole
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. ball — a great time
  18. present — the time now
  19. pit — in a race
  20. branch — a division
  21. season — in sport
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. pass — a permit
  24. ball — a round shape

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