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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. spring — the season
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. band — a music group
  5. row — to paddle
  6. pass — a permit
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. branch — a division
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. kick — in football
  11. band — a ring
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. row — a line
  14. bear — the animal
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. swing — in golf
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. swing — music
  19. spring — of water
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. swing — to play on
  22. bear — the animal
  23. spring — a coil
  24. bear — to put up with

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