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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: bound · present · pass · snap · bank · branch · nail · wake

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. present — the time now
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. wake — a trail
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. bound — obliged
  7. present — there
  8. snap — to click
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. bound — certain
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bank — for money
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. bound — tied together
  16. bank — for money
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. present — a gift
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. branch — a division
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. nail — on a finger

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