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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 116 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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. pound — a weight
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. kid — to tease
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. bank — of a river
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. tube — a container
  11. tube — the underground
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. can — to be able to
  15. can — a tin
  16. bank — for money
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bank — for money
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. kid — child
  22. branch — a division
  23. can — a tin
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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