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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'll be taking the ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. pop — music
  4. branch — a division
  5. mark — a trace
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. sharp — clever
  8. pit — in a race
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. pass — a permit
  11. mark — a grade
  12. tube — a container
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pop — soda
  18. pop — to visit
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. pit — a hole
  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