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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. rock — music
  5. capital — money
  6. stock — shares
  7. branch — a division
  8. rock — a stone
  9. lie — to recline
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. capital — a city
  12. stock — goods
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. mate — a friend
  15. chip — for betting
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. pass — a permit
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. mate — to breed
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. mate — a partner
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. chip — to eat
  24. branch — of a tree

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