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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. pass — a permit
  3. stem — to come from
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. pit — a hole
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. bore — to drill
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. bore — to tire
  18. branch — a division
  19. chair — a leader
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. pitcher — a jug

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