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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: wake · root · plane · march · pass · branch · rock · mark

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. march — the month
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. march — the month
  5. wake — a trail
  6. root — of a plant
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. branch — a division
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. rock — music
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. root — of a word
  14. mark — a grade
  15. rock — a stone
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. root — the cause
  18. pass — a permit
  19. march — music
  20. mark — a trace
  21. plane — a tool
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. wake — before a funeral

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