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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: bound · toast · chair · branch · ground · pass · staff · rock

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. bound — tied together
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. ground — the earth
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. pass — a permit
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. staff — a stick
  9. staff — employees
  10. branch — a division
  11. chair — a leader
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. bound — certain
  15. bound — obliged
  16. staff — employees
  17. rock — a stone
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. ground — a position
  21. rock — music
  22. toast — bread
  23. ground — crushed
  24. rock — to move gently

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