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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · court · branch · pass · ball · scale · lash · pound

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. branch — a division
  4. pass — a permit
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. court — of law
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. ball — a great time
  9. ball — a dance
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. present — the time now
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. court — for sport
  14. court — of a king
  15. scale — in music
  16. scale — size or range
  17. pound — a weight
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. present — there
  24. present — a gift

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