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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 116 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: pass · cabinet · branch · suit · mouse · ground · lean · scale

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. scale — size or range
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. suit — in cards
  5. pass — a permit
  6. ground — crushed
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. ground — a position
  11. suit — to fit
  12. lean — to bend
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. suit — clothes
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. scale — in music
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. branch — a division
  23. ground — the earth
  24. branch — of a bank

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