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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: leaves · pass · stand · ball · staff · perch · branch · rest

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. rest — what's left
  4. staff — employees
  5. pass — a permit
  6. ball — a dance
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. staff — employees
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. rest — what's left
  13. ball — a great time
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. perch — the fish
  18. stand — to bear
  19. branch — a division
  20. staff — a stick
  21. rest — a break
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. stand — for spectators

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