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

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. rush — hurry
  3. branch — a division
  4. cap — of ice
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. charge — in control
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. cap — a hat
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. pop — soda
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. charge — electricity
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. kick — in football
  17. charge — a price
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. cap — a lid
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. pop — music
  22. pop — to visit
  23. pass — a permit
  24. hide — to keep secret

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