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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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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 · hide · mate · pass · wound · bank · toast · rest

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — of a river
  4. toast — bread
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. rest — what's left
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. wound — an injury
  9. pass — a permit
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. bank — for money
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. mate — to breed
  17. mate — a partner
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. rest — a break
  20. branch — a division
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. rest — what's left
  23. mate — a friend
  24. wound — an injury

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