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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stand · bat · leaves · rest · band · branch · pass · bore

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. pass — a permit
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. band — a ring
  6. rest — what's left
  7. band — a music group
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. bat — the animal
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bore — to tire
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. stand — to bear
  19. branch — a division
  20. bore — to drill
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. rest — a break
  24. branch — of a bank

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