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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: hide · wake · dip · branch · pass · object · lean · pit

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. wake — a trail
  3. pass — a permit
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. pit — a hole
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. lean — thin
  10. dip — to sink
  11. pit — in a race
  12. lean — to bend
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. object — an aim
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. branch — a division
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. object — to protest
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. object — a thing

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