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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. cell — in biology
  3. branch — a division
  4. suit — in cards
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. stock — goods
  7. suit — clothes
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. stock — shares
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. cell — a phone
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. suit — to fit
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. wake — a trail
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. pass — a permit
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. wake — before a funeral
  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