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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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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 · fan · wake · hide · branch · rush · craft

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. last — to go on
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. pass — a permit
  5. last — final
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. rush — hurry
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. last — finally
  16. craft — boats
  17. craft — a skill
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. branch — a division
  24. fan — to cool the air

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