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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: branch · bowl · wake · pass · can · row · bank · wind

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  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. wake — before a funeral
  2. bank — of a river
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. can — a tin
  5. bank — for money
  6. row — to paddle
  7. branch — a division
  8. wake — a trail
  9. can — to be able to
  10. row — a line
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. wind — moving air
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. can — a tin
  17. pass — a permit
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bank — for money
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. wind — moving air
  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