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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: plane · branch · bark · cabinet · pop · pass · present · wave

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. present — a gift
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. branch — a division
  6. pop — music
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. present — the time now
  10. pop — to visit
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bark — to shout
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. plane — a tool
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pop — soda
  20. present — there
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. bark — of a tree

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