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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. pit — in a race
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. foot — a measure
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. branch — a division
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. drill — a practice
  11. pit — a hole
  12. lean — to bend
  13. mate — to breed
  14. mate — a partner
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. drill — army training
  17. mate — a friend
  18. game — a match
  19. game — wild animals
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. drill — the tool
  22. pass — a permit
  23. lean — thin
  24. pass — to succeed

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