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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. pass — a permit
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. pit — a hole
  7. rest — what's left
  8. mark — a trace
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. rest — a break
  11. mark — a grade
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. rest — what's left
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. wake — a trail
  20. pit — in a race
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. branch — a division
  24. cabinet — ministers

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