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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: pass · last · branch · suit · rock · trunk · hand · plane

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. last — to go on
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. hand — in cards
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. last — finally
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. suit — to fit
  12. rock — music
  13. suit — in cards
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. last — final
  16. suit — clothes
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. branch — a division
  19. plane — a tool
  20. rock — a stone
  21. pass — a permit
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. hand — help
  24. branch — of a tree

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