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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.

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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 · track · race · cabinet · mate · lean · branch · bowl

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. mate — a friend
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. branch — a division
  7. race — the arms race
  8. lean — to bend
  9. mate — to breed
  10. pass — a permit
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. mate — a partner
  13. lean — thin
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. race — humankind
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. track — a song
  20. track — to keep track
  21. track — a path
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. race — a contest
  24. bowl — to roll

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