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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. mug — a cup
  3. mug — a face
  4. pass — a permit
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. scale — size or range
  8. bound — certain
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. bound — tied together
  11. kid — child
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. saw — the tool
  15. scale — in music
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. branch — a division
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. bound — obliged
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. saw — the tool
  24. kid — to tease

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