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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 120 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: pass · rest · wind · suit · branch · fork · ruler · drill

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. wind — moving air
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. drill — army training
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pass — a permit
  8. suit — in cards
  9. fork — in a road
  10. rest — what's left
  11. suit — to fit
  12. drill — the tool
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. wind — moving air
  16. branch — a division
  17. drill — a practice
  18. suit — clothes
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rest — a break
  24. ruler — a monarch

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