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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: bound · branch · key · pass · can · bear · season · wave

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. season — in sport
  3. key — for a lock
  4. can — a tin
  5. key — in music
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. bear — the animal
  9. key — the most important part
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. can — to be able to
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. season — of the year
  14. bound — tied together
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bound — certain
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. can — a tin
  21. pass — a permit
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. branch — a division

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