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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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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: lash · pit · pass · branch · wake · bowl · toast · roll

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  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. branch — of a bank
  2. pit — in a race
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. roll — a cake
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. pit — a hole
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. toast — bread
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. roll — a list
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. branch — a division
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. wake — a trail
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  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