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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pitch — completely
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. branch — a division
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. row — to paddle
  14. spell — letters
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. spell — magic
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. bulb — for light
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. row — a line
  22. spell — a short time
  23. fork — in a road
  24. bulb — for light

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