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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. tear — from crying
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. branch — a division
  6. charge — a price
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. cue — a hint
  9. tear — to rip
  10. mug — a face
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. charge — electricity
  13. cue — for pool
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. charge — in control
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. mug — a cup
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. mug — to rob
  22. tear — from crying
  23. pass — a permit
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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