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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. mate — a friend
  3. mate — a partner
  4. branch — a division
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. mine — for digging
  8. prune — to trim
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. firm — steady
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. charge — in control
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. charge — a price
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. snap — to click
  18. mate — to breed
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. charge — electricity
  21. firm — decided
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. prune — to trim
  24. firm — a company

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