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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 120 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: leaves · pass · pound · board · degree · clip · net · branch

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. clip — a video
  3. clip — for paper
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. pound — a weight
  6. degree — from a university
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. board — to get on
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. degree — temperature
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. clip — to cut
  13. net — after costs
  14. board — a committee
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. branch — a division
  18. net — in sport
  19. net — for catching
  20. degree — an amount
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. pass — a permit

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