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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. mate — to breed
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. suit — clothes
  6. pass — a permit
  7. rush — hurry
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. branch — a division
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. mate — a friend
  13. bore — to tire
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. mate — a partner
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. suit — in cards
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bore — to drill
  23. deal — to handle
  24. pass — to spend time

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