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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: branch · craft · leaves · spell · stick · sharp · pass · rush

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. craft — boats
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. spell — letters
  6. craft — a skill
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. branch — a division
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. pass — a permit
  15. spell — magic
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. rush — hurry
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. sharp — clever
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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