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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. charge — a price
  3. suit — to fit
  4. branch — a division
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. rush — hurry
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. ground — a position
  12. ground — the earth
  13. charge — in control
  14. pass — a permit
  15. ground — crushed
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. suit — clothes
  18. tube — a container
  19. suit — in cards
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. bat — the animal
  23. charge — electricity
  24. rush — to hurry

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