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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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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: lean · snap · tube · fork · pass · object · branch · stand

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. fork — in a road
  3. object — a thing
  4. tube — a container
  5. lean — thin
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. lean — to bend
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. branch — a division
  11. object — to protest
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. tube — the underground
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. pass — a permit
  18. stand — to bear
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. object — an aim
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. snap — to click

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