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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: pass · cue · season · rule · track · suit · band · branch

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. season — in sport
  4. track — a song
  5. suit — in cards
  6. band — a music group
  7. rule — government
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. track — to keep track
  13. cue — a signal
  14. pass — a permit
  15. cue — for pool
  16. suit — to fit
  17. branch — a division
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. rule — a law
  21. band — a ring
  22. suit — clothes
  23. season — of the year
  24. track — a path

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