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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: pass · capital · mark · cabinet · straw · mate · board · branch

  1. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. capital — money
  4. board — to get on
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. mate — a friend
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. branch — a division
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. pass — a permit
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. mate — a partner
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. mark — a grade
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. mark — a trace
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. board — a committee
  23. mate — to breed
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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