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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: object · bound · ground · coach · pass · mark · cap · branch

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. object — to protest
  4. bound — certain
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. ground — crushed
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. bound — obliged
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. cap — a lid
  11. object — an aim
  12. mark — a trace
  13. cap — of ice
  14. cap — a hat
  15. bound — tied together
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. object — a thing
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. ground — the earth
  21. ground — a position
  22. branch — a division
  23. pass — a permit
  24. pass — to succeed

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